A general aerial view shows a copper mining's decantation lake from Rosia Poieni, near the village of Rosia Montana, western Romania, on July 13, 2021, as the copper exploitation dating back to the Communist era left a high level of environment destruction. - High up in Romania's Carpathians, some Rosia Montana villagers are hoping their area's unique Roman galleries will attract UNESCO world heritage status -- a decision that would bury a controversial gold mining project. The site nestled in the Apuseni Mountains "contains the most significant, extensive and technically diverse underground Roman gold mining complex currently known in the world", dating from the second century, according to ICOMOS, an advisory body of the UN agency. (Photo by Ionut IORDACHESCU / AFP) (Photo by IONUT IORDACHESCU/AFP via Getty Images)