In the depths of India's illegal mica mines, where children as young as five work alongside adults, lurks a dark, hidden secret - the cover-up of child deaths with seven killed in the past...

It is estimated that 22,000 children work in mica mines in Jharkhand and Bihar, but as mines that employ children do not report it, giving the exact numbers is impossible. According to the findings of the US Department of Labor, in Madagascar, around 10,000 children work in the mica sector.

KODERMA/BHILWARA/SYDAPURAM, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - In the depths of India's illegal mica mines, where children as young as five work alongside adults, lurks a dark, hidden...

India is one of the world's top producers of mica. Once boasting more than 700 mines with over 20,000 workers, the industry was hit by 1980s legislation to limit deforestation and the...

For years, India has been recognised as the largest producer and exporter of sheet mica globally, with most mines located in Bihar and Jharkhand states. The two regions are among India's most impoverished. The poverty incidence in Jharkhand is estimated at over forty-six percent.

The Child Labour Free Mica is a unique initiative and platform for children, community, civil society members, NGOs, and local government, aimed at eliminating all forms of child labour from mica mining regions of Bihar and Jharkhand in India.

The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) is a global coalition for action – putting policy into practice – comprised of multiple organizations committed to establishing a fair, responsible and sustainable mica supply chain in the states of Jharkhand and Bihar in India that will eliminate unacceptable working conditions and eradicate child labor by ...

India has large reserves of mica, mostly found under forests in central and eastern parts of the country. The South Asian nation was once one of the largest producers of mica, with over 700 mines and 20,000 workers employed in the sector. However, India enacted a forest law in 1980 to limit deforestation.

Behind the Glitter: Mica and Child Mining in India. Children in India are being exploited in the dangerous search for mica, the mineral that gives cosmetics their shine. Read more. 12 Jun...

Illegal mica mining continues unabated in Jharkhand, causing deaths and diseases. by Saurav Roy on 6 October 2020. Years ago mica mines were abandoned in Jharkhand but neither the mines were restored nor the local inhabitants were rehabilitated. As a result, villagers over the years continued visiting them to extract mica.