More than a hundred workers have died in mines run in Kazakhstan by ArcelorMittal in the last 15 years. Five died last month, sparking a debate on the exploitation of workers in a country scarred by communism and authoritarianism. Vladimir Khaniev worked at ArcelorMittal's 'Lenin' mine and was left unconscious after an explosion at the site in November 2022 which killed five of his colleagues. As far as he's concerned, the deaths are caused by "the greed of the company's managers". Kazakhstan's president has threatened to ban ArcelorMittal from operating in the country, but such a step may prove difficult, with the mining sector accounting for up to 17 percent of GDP. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES