Milan Radisics / Aerial shot of an open mine pit and process plant in a copper mining and hydrometallurgical process plant complex, near Gerena, Seville, Spain, August 2018.

Milan Radisics / Aerial shot of an open mine pit and process plant in a copper mining and hydrometallurgical process plant complex, near Gerena, Seville, Spain, August 2018.

Alex Mustard / A fisherman swims down to touch the statue of Christ Of The Abyss (Cristo degli abissi) for good fortune, in the Marine Protected Area of Portofino (Area Marina Protetta, Portofino), Liguria, Italy. M...

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown Bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) by malachite (copper mineral) outcrop. Kronotsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East, Valley of the Geysers, October.

John Cancalosi / Azurite-malachite rock slab, cut and polished, white quartz with veins azurite and malachite copper minerals, occurs in copper-bearing rocks in central Siberia. Stepnoye Mine, Altay Mountains, Siberia...

John Cancalosi / Gold nuggets, Western Australia, Australia.

John Cancalosi / Gold nugget, Western Australia, Australia.

Philippe Clement / Azurite / Chessylite, soft, deep blue copper mineral

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Elephant symbol, The Tibetan Lamaistic Buddhist Songtsam Monastery, Shangri-La or Xianggelila, Zhongdian County, Yunnan, China. April 2018.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / View of Tibetan Lamaist Songtsam Monastery houses, Shangri-La, Yunnan, China, October 2017.

Ashley Cooper / Rubbish left by the gold mining industry on the tundra, Nome, Alaska, USA, September 2004.

Michael Pitts / Archaeologist with Spanish Silver Pillar dollar from the Dutch East India ship - 'Rooswijk' wrecked on the 9th January 1740 on the Goodwin Sands. England, UK, September 2017.

Kim Taylor / Common sun beetle (Amara aenea) on white background, Surrey, England, UK. Controlled conditions

Graham Eaton / Disused copper mine and quarry workings, Parys Mountain, Amlwch, Isle of Anglesey, Wales, UK, September 2016.

John Cancalosi / Bauxite from Western Australia, Australia, Main ore of aluminium.

John Cancalosi / Chalcopyrite, copper iron sulfide, a copper ore, with calcite. from Zacatecas, Mexico.

Pete Oxford / Gold dredger on Essequibo river, the longest river in Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of Aurora Gold Mining project, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of gold mining on edge of tropical rainforest, Arimu, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of gold mining in Arimu, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of illegal gold mining in Arimu, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of illegal gold mining in Arimu, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of gold dredger in Essequibo river, Guyana South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of gold mining, Guyana, South America

Pete Oxford / Aerial view of gold mining, Troy Resources, Guyana, South America

Loic Poidevin / Gold dredgers and tents on beach, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA, September.

Loic Poidevin / Bucket dredgers and houses of gold miners, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA, September 2015.

Loic Poidevin / Gold dredger boat, Nome, Alaska, USA, September 2015.

Loic Poidevin / Gold dredger boat, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA, September 2015.

Loic Poidevin / Gold dredger sieving water, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA, September, August.

Loic Poidevin / Gold dredger, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA,September 2015.

Loic Poidevin / Old gold dredger, Sewards Peninsula, Nome, Alaska, USA, September 2015.

Will Watson / Copper stained rock caused by mineralisation which forms malachite, Grinshill Sandstone, Triassic New Red Sandstone Formation, circa 250 million years old, Hawkstone Ridge, Hawkstone Follies, Shropshi...

Will Watson / Copper stained rock caused by mineralisation which forms malachite, Grinshill Sandstone, Triassic New Red Sandstone Formation, circa 250 million years old, Hawkstone Ridge, Hawkstone Follies, Shropshi...

Claudio Contreras / Lacandonia (Lacandonia schismatica) parasitic flower, with inverted sex organs, Lacandon Rainforest, Mexico, May. Endangered and endemic species.

MYN / Lily Kumpe / Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus macleayi aurora) Plutonic Gold Mine, Meekatharra Shire, Gascoyne Bioregion, Western Australia. Meetyourneighbtous.net project

Steve O. Taylor (GHF) / Two Bagirmi aluminum amulets. Chad, 2002-2003.

Steve O. Taylor (GHF) / Sao terracotta head with two Bagirmi aluminum amulets. Chad, 2002-2003.

Bert Willaert / Villager showing an intermediate product during gold extraction, Village in the Andes, Bolivia, November 2013.

Bert Willaert / Villager using his bare hands to mix the toxic mercury during gold extraction, Bolivia, November 2013.

Bert Willaert / Gold extracted from sand using mercury, Totora, Andes, Bolivia, November 2013.

David Tipling / Bird finial in cast gold perhaps for a Shamans staff, from 5-10th century Columbia.

David Tipling / Sheet gold vulture that would have been wrapped around body before mummification, From the tomb of the three minor wives of Thutmose III in the Wady Babbanet El-Qurud, Thebes Egypt. From 18th Dynasty...

John Cancalosi / Native (uncombined) Copper (Cu) from Michigan, USA.

John Cancalosi / Native (Uncombined) Copper (Cu) from Bisbee, Arizona, USA.

John Cancalosi / Native (uncombined) Copper (CU) nugget, recovered from Lake Michigan, Michigan, USA.

John Cancalosi / Lead (Pb) Ingot

John Cancalosi / Tin (Sn) Ingot

John Cancalosi / Copper (Cu) ingot weighing 20 lbs.

Nick Garbutt / Gold miner digging and panning for gold in the forests near Andranotsimaty, Daraina, north east Madagascar. November 2012

Nick Garbutt / Gold miner digging and panning for gold in the forests near Andranotsimaty, Daraina, north east Madagascar. November 2012

Nick Garbutt / Gold miner digging and panning for gold in the forests near Andranotsimaty, Daraina, north east Madagascar. November 2012

Emanuele Biggi / Close-up of Strinati's cave salamander's (Speleomantes strinatii) eye, San Bartolomeo di Savignone, Italy

Will Watson / Parys Mountain copper mine showing The Great Opencast and the old windmill in the background, near Almwych, Anglesley, Wales, UK. June, 2023.

Will Watson / Parys Mountain copper mine featuring volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits originating from hydrothermal vents, Great Opencast, near Almwych, Anglesley, Wales, UK. June, 2023.

Will Watson / Parys Mountain copper mine showing The Great Opencast and the old windmill in the background, near Almwych, Anglesley, Wales, UK. June, 2023.

Will Watson / Parys Mountain copper mine featuring volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits originating from hydrothermal vents, Great Opencast, near Almwych, Anglesley, Wales, UK. June, 2023.

Tim Laman / Vendor shows beak of Helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) adorned with Tibetan silver, Antiques market, Cang Bao Lou building, Chenghuang Temple Area, Shanghai, China. Likely a real antique piece.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Roof detail of Jokhang Monastery, founded between 639 and 647 AD, one of most revered religious structures in Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Roof detail of Jokhang Monastery, founded between 639 and 647 AD, one of most revered religious structures in Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Rooftop view of Jokhang Monastery, founded between 639 and 647 AD, one of most revered religious structures in Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Golden deer and Dharma wheel on roof of Jokhang Monastery, founded between 639 and 647 AD, one of most revered religious structures in Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Golden deer and Dharma wheel on roof of Jokhang Monastery, founded between 639 and 647 AD, one of most revered religious structures in Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Jeff Foott / Great Buddha Dordenma statue,175 ft. tall, bronze, gilded in gold. Kuenselphodrang Nature Park, Thimphu. Bhutan. September 2013.

Jeff Foott / Great Buddha Dordenma statue,175 ft. tall, bronze, gilded in gold. Kuenselphodrang Nature Park, Thimphu. Bhutan. September 2013.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud deposits in storage pond. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Locals have said...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud deposits in storage pond. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Locals have said...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud deposits in storage pond. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Locals have said...

Milan Radisics / Bulldozers on red mud dam, shoring up the dam to prevent dangerous. leaks These Red mud deposits in storage pond are a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of alumini...

Milan Radisics / Red bauxite ore ready for processing alumina, then aluminium, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Milan Radisics / Small peninsula in red mud (Alumina) storage pond, where trucks spill dry residue. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia an...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view 10 years after dams burst near Ajka, Hungary. This released red mud / alumina a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium. It destroyed two villages...

Milan Radisics / Trucks deliver and pour dry residue into the huge pond while bulldozers shoring up the dam where toxic waste from aluminium production is stored in Galicia, Northern Spain.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud / alumina deposits, where with a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium is stored. Located on seashore in Galicia, Northern Spain.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud / alumina deposits, where with a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium is stored. Located on seashore in Galicia, Northern Spain.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud / alumina deposits, where with a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium is stored. Located on seashore in Galicia, Northern Spain.

Milan Radisics / Trucks deliver and pour dry residue into the huge pond while bulldozers shoring up the dam where highly alkaline waste red mud / alumina waste from aluminium production is stored in Galicia, Northern...

Milan Radisics / Aluminium production facility located on seashore, Northern Spain

Milan Radisics / Aluminium production facility located on seashore, Northern Spain

Milan Radisics / Bulldozer maintaining shore of the high dam covered with trees. Red mud deposits, alkaline waste product from aluminium industry. Galicia, Northern Spain.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud / alumina storage facility located in valley between hills. Alumina is a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium industry. south France.

Milan Radisics / Red mud deposits, with cracks forming. Red mud / alumina storage facility . Alumina is a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium industry.

Milan Radisics / Red bauxite ore ready for processing alumina, then aluminium, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Milan Radisics / Red mud deposits / Alumina, a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium manufacturing industry.

Milan Radisics / Red mud deposits / Alumina, a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium manufacturing industry.

Milan Radisics / Red mud deposits / Alumina, a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium manufacturing industry. It is transported from the factory miles away, and gradually neutralized through a series of pond...

Milan Radisics / Abstract shapes and dry trees in red mud. Red mud / alumina storage facility . Alumina is a highly alkaline waste product from the aluminium industry.

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud deposits in storage pond. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Locals have said...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud deposits in storage pond. A highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium at factory 5 miles away. Bosnia and Herzegovina. Locals have said...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud islands. This is where red mud, a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium is pumped into the storage pond. The pond was built into a...

Milan Radisics / Aerial view of red mud islands. This is where red mud, a highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium is pumped into the storage pond. The pond was built into a...

Milan Radisics / Red mud / alumina waste product from aluminium industry. It is transported from factory located miles away through high pressure pipelines into the huge system of ponds for gradual neutralization and...

Milan Radisics / Abandoned red mud (alumina) pond, where highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium was stored. Formerly used by Polish metal industry, now abandoned dry pond i...

Milan Radisics / Abandoned red mud (alumina) pond, where highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium was stored. Formerly used by Polish metal industry, now abandoned dry pond i...

Milan Radisics / Abandoned red mud (alumina) pond, where highly alkaline waste product produced by the industrial production of aluminium was stored. Formerly used by Polish metal industry, now abandoned dry pond i...

Milan Radisics / Abandoned red mud / alumina storage pond, formerly used by Polish metal industry. The flora and fauna now starting the recover their place. Poland.