It took Georgian photographer Daro Sulakauri approximately 35 minutes to reach the manganese ore mines in the heart of the mountain. Donning a safety helmet, she stepped into a rail car for the 13-kilometer-long ride alongside miners who have one of the most hidden jobs in the world.

The tunnel narrows suddenly at some turns which makes leaning from the car dangerous. At times there is pitch darkness. But it was the air quality inside the mine—heavy, humid, oppressing—that struck Sulakauri the most. “Just stay calm and you’ll get used to it,” the seasoned miners reassured her.

The mines are located in Chiatura, Georgia, home to the largest manganese reserve in the Caucasus Mountains. During Soviet times, the extraction of manganese ore