There’s a dream that all the small-scale miners of Namibia share. Every miner dreams of finding a pocket. It’s something that can make or break you, or both. It’s a way out of the harshness of the daily drudgery and struggle for survival that is the small miner’s lot. It is something to lie awake and dream about at night.
And, it is a possibility, although there are no guarantees of finding more than one pocket a decade - or even in a lifetime. And the size of the pocket or its value has to be determined. It can bring in 5 000 or 500 000 Namibian dollars. If a group of miners is working on a hole, the sum needs to be shared equally. And, of course, if a manager heads the group, providing food and equipment, he’s entitled to the lion’s share.
A pocket is a cavity or a geode of gemstones, found by following a vein of minerals through the rock and exploring it. Sometimes it is near the surface, sometimes it is deep in the bowels of the earth. It doesn’t usually yield easily and requires chisels and hammers - or jackhammers. Sometimes it involves excavating a hole in the rock and being lowered by ropes until the lack of oxygen forces you to the surface. Whether small or large, the discovery of a pocket brings jubilation and is equivalent to winning the lottery. Miners’ eyes sparkle when the word is mentioned - and the lure is strong and unmistakable.
Sometimes the find goes to a miner’s head and he splurges, squandering the money quickly, only to return soon after to the mountains to dig once again and have another ride on the rollercoaster of fortune. Other miners spend more wisely and build a house, purchase livestock, marry their sweetheart or secure their children’s futures.
Finding a pocket has been referred to as being like a first kiss - and the effervescent feeling remains long after, making up for the years of backbreaking work.
---------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe To Gondwana: goo.gl/c7B7Jz
• Gondwana Website: www.gondwana-collection.com
• Namibia 2 Go Travels: www.namibia2go.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Website & Newsletter
• Newsletter Signup: www.gondwana-collection.com/n...
• More Gondwana Info: www.gondwana-collection.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Let's Connect:
• Facebook: / gondwana.collection.na...
• Instagram: / gondwanalodges
---------------------------------------------------------------
Video Produced By:
Prostudio.cc (Camera & Cut)
• Web: www.prostudio.cc
• Email: hello@prostudio.cc
Негізгі бет The Small Scale Miners - Pockets
Пікірлер: 4