Anina mine was opened in 1792, and it was one of the oldest mining exploitations in Romania. It was scheduled to be closed at October 2006, but after a methan gas explosion that took 7 lives, immediate closure was ordered in January, and valuable mining equipment has been moved from the site. Back then 300 out of 540 workers were laid off. Nowadays, although some of the structures collapsed near tracks, the Oravita to Anina passenger service still operates through the abandoned and unguarded site, where the metallic parts of the remaining equipment gives income to a few local families.
