Anargyroi, and Mavropigi are villages in the northern part of Western Macedonia, Greece, threatened with destruction by expanding coal mines. Landslides caused by nearby open pit lignite mines damaged local houses, and in some places caused the land to drop by up to a metre, causing the residents to demand support with relocation.
Mavropigi means “black source” in Greek, and was deserted at time of photographing. In 2015 residents started to abandon it, as the open cast mine that feeds utility PPC’s coal plants began to eat at its edges. Today the village is abandoned, and being slowly demolished for salvage and to make way for the continued expansion of the mine. Only the church and graveyard will remain, as neither can be moved according to Greek law. Other villages, Komanos, Charavgi, Kleitos, Kardia have already been devoured by PPC mines, and the nearby communities of Anargiroi, Akrini and Pontokomi will soon follow.
This project was completed for Europe Beyond Coal/Beyond Fossil Fuels.