It takes a lot to power a country — and though it’s small, Greece is no exception.

Lignite is a soft, crumbly form of brown coal that has low carbon content, high water content and causes more pollution than black coal. Still, it accounts for more than 50% of Greece’s electricity supply, and is mined primarily at the Lignite Center of Western Macedonia, the largest such facility in the Balkans. The center belongs to the second biggest public-power corporation in Europe, according to the European Pressphoto Agency.

There, lignite is mined, processed and burned for fuel; the harmful ashes are then buried.

Lignite mining is the region's main source of jobs. Thousands of people work in harsh conditions, mining the lignite, and exposing themselves to ash, dust and dense clouds of smoke from the burning coal. The life expectancy of a worker at the center is 67 years, compared to Greece's national average of around 80.

These workers risk their lives to do their jobs, which they may lose, as Greece evaluates its natural resources and energy production.