Unlike the deep mines of Moria, the Guelb Moghrein operation is an open pit mine measuring over a mile wide. The mine has an on again-off again history. It opened in the early 1970s, only to close in 1977 due to high cost of operations. The property was acquired by First Quantum Minerals, a Canadian company, in 2004, and production resumed in 2010. In 2014 operations were suspended due to an employees strike. First Quantum stocks took a hit, but the workers eventually came back.
Ground level view:
The pit itself. Click on it for a larger image:
Or for a really big image, go here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/64137143@N07/5876780200/sizes/o/
Nighttime operations:
Another view of the pit.
By way of contrast, the Mines of Moria. Click for full size:
Found, despite the appearance of a needle in a huge pile of sand for 2 points:
- Lighthouse
- Eloy Cano
- Garfield
- Lelie
- hhgygy
- Phil Ower