CRUMBLING MINES WITH THEIR NIMBLE HANDS

This could be the makeup industry's darkest secret, ugliest secret. In remote villages of Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh children risk their lives every to extract mica flakes.

Mica is a shimmery ingredient used globally in makeup products such as eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, highlighters

India is one of its largest producers. But most mica mines here function illegally. Children are often hired to rummage through the crumbling mines with their nimble hands.

Around 22,000 children work in the illegal mines of Jharkhand and Bihar. These rat-hole mines are guarded by local vigilantes. Strangers are not allowed to enter the area.

"I come here at 9 in the morning and leave at 5 after picking up three trays of mica" says an 8-year-old girl . They just earn up to Rs. 30 (0.40 USD) a day. The poverty-stricken parents have no choice.

These children do dangerous work without any protection. Occupational hazards include head injuries, cuts, and abrasions . Many are vulnerable to long-term respiratory infections as well. 

A 2016 investigation by Reuters found that children regularly died in these mines. But many of the deaths were covered up by local officials making it difficult to nail down an actual fatality count.

The kailash Satyarthi Children's foundation has rescued up to 3400 children , but still, there are many more little kids in a vulnerable situation .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeR-h9C2fgc, here is the link to the video shared by Jomarieb.Earth .