Mica mines in Madagascar provide minerals that are needed in the new electric cars and in electronics. The major problem with it is that because of poverty many families in Madagascar are working in the mines with their children. Some of the children that are working in the mines are aged 5 years old and a bit older. The Mica mines are easier to digg than coltan or gold mines and easier to find, sometimes they are in the fields of farmers. Madagascar is one of the biggest exporter of mica in the world.
This reportage was made on assignment for Unicef Nederland in 2019. Copyright: Jan-Joseph Stok /Unicef.



Mara Soatata (5) works in Tsivery mica mine near the village of Ampikazo. He has working for one year now in the mine. His main activity is to sort out and carry the minerals, but he is also extracting. For the moment he stills doesn't know how to distinguish the different qualities.

































Mica Sorting site of Amboasary south. (Harenasara) . Here entire families (adults and children) are sorting out the mica minerals before it is being shipped to Fort dauphin for export. Final stage before export.


Mica Sorting site of Radomare in the city of Fort Dauphin . Here entire families (adults and children) are sorting out the mica minerals before it is being shipped to the harbour of F
ort dauphin for export. Final stage before export.

Mica Sorting site of Radomare in the city of Fort Dauphin . Here entire families (adults and children) are sorting out the mica minerals before it is being shipped to the harbour of Fort dauphin for export. Final stage before export.

Mica Sorting site of Radomare in the city of Fort Dauphin . Here entire families (adults and children) are sorting out the mica minerals before it is being shipped to the harbour of Fort dauphin for export. Final stage before export. Here they are weighting the minerals.

Mica Harbour of Ehoala of Fort Dauphin were the mica minerals are being stocked and shipped to the rest of the world.F