Re your
'to want to dig holes in 40 degree heat in the middle of no where. Intereresting .... '
I don't think you really have an appreciation of what 'mining' can be these days,
You roll out of your self-contained full facilities a/c 'donga', walk to the a/c mess, get fed, get into the a/c bus to drive you to the job site, which may be quite some distance away, step into your a/c 'Haul Pack', and do the reverse at the end of the 12 hour shift...with 'meals on wheels' as the shift progresses ....
Whats not to like for your $$$$'s
