National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: New Australia Mining Boom Taking Toll on Outback Life


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A truck drives through BHP Billiton's iron-ore mine at Mount Whaleback in Newman, part of the dusty but mineral-rich region of Western Australia known as the Pilbara.

The Pilbara is at the center of a new mining rush, as companies ramp up extraction of iron, coal, uranium, and other resources to feed skyrocketing Asian demand.

The boom has brought great wealth—and headaches for tourists, local inhabitants, native groups, and environmentalists.

Associated Press Photograph/BHP Billiton/Hand Out