Miners all over the world commemorate on the 4th of December their patron saint, St Barbara, requesting her continuing protection for their daily work.

Mining traditions for this day span back for hundreds of years, including wearing the miners’ uniform, employee anniversaries and awards, retirement ceremonies, family trips to the mines and many other social events.

Although mining is one of the most essential of human activities, one scarcely considers the raw materials needed to power and produce the products and services that we use in our every-day lives. A weekend protesting against coal might seem morally right to some, even fun. Then, they fly back to their warm homes, without a second thought for those millions of coal miners who quietly, but tirelessly provide the energy that we all take for granted.