Unforgiving temperatures of up to 60℃ (140℉) beat down on these saltminers on a daily basis. The mines, situated in the Afar Triangle in Ethiopia, stretch across 38,000 sq miles and at their lowest point are more than 300ft below sea level. Joel Santos travelled to capture the area’s dry, brutal beauty. Here: The Afar desert. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





Miners work in blistering heat to carve out salt blocks. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





The Afar people have a monopoly on the Danakil Depression and every merchant must stop and pay a fee for each dromedary, mule and donkey in their caravan before leaving. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





A worker accustomed to working in temperatures up to 60℃ (140℉). (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





Camels walk along the road in this shot of the saltmines from above. About 2,000 camels and 1,000 donkeys pass through every day, transporting salt. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





Dromedaries and donkeys are used to transport the salt. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





The salt desert in the Afar triangle stretches across 38,000 sq miles (100,000 sq km) and at its lowest point is more than 90 metres (300ft) below sea level. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





Miners with their camels and donkeys. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





A man carving out salt blocks. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





The saltmines from above. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)





Camels taking a break. (Photo by Joel Santos/Barcroft Images)