This church spire is the only thing that is still visible from the little village that is located in the valley below. It now is almost completely hidden below a lake of toxic waste one-hundred meters deep. This waste is produced by a nearby copper mine that started it's mining activities four decades ago. The waste contains cyanide, which is used to extract the copper from the mine.
In the seventies, the leading communist dictator claimed the entire region for the purpose of the mine. Over 300 families were forced to relocate and received a small compensation for their homes. But despite the flooding, not everyone left the valley. A few people moved to higher ground as the lake rose.
At the current pace, the toxic lake increases one meter each year. It won't be long before the last remembrance of this village will be gone forever.
