Miners wait for the lift to bring them back to the surface from a depth of almost 1000 metres from the Schacht Konrad former iron-ore mine on October 21, 2024 near Salzgitter, central Germany. Work is underway to convert the former iron mine into a final storage for more than 300,000 cubic metres of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The subterranean site is meant to start operating in the early 2030s. (Photo by Ronny Hartmann / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY by SEBASTIEN ASH