Shovel and 100-ton truck at work, Kamoto open pit copper mine, Kolwezi, Congo (Democratic Republic)

"An urban sub-region in southern Katanga, Kolwezi lies on a particularly rich lode of minerals, including copper and cobalt, along the northwestern edge of the Zambian Copper Belt between Lubumbashi and Dilolo. Most of the industry in Kolwezi is related to the mining operations, including a series of hydroelectric installations outside the city and a railroad depot on the line that links Lubumbashi with the Benguela Railway." [F. Scott Bobb, 1999: Historical Dictionary of Democratic Republic of Congo, The Scarecrow Press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from January 19, 1972 to mid April 1972.