The End of an Era—Coal Mining in Europe: A Photo Essay by Petr Chodura

For both economic and environmental reasons, coal mining in Europe is nearing its end. One by one, the last mines are closing their doors after decades filled with hard work, danger, and countless human stories. At the end of January, deep black coal mining came to an end in my homeland, the Czech Republic, following in the footsteps of other European countries such as Germany and the UK.