But what are they left with afterward, asked a hotelier who runs a desert eco-lodge of traditional tents in Lompoul, where until recently the only sounds were from seabirds and passing camels.

"The mine is moving forward: the fate of people once the mine has passed is no longer their problem," he said, the roar of the gigantic dredger 150 meters away almost drowning him out as it ate through the landscape.

Of Lompoul's seven tourist camps, six have accepted Eramet's money and have moved. The hotelier is holding out for "just" compensation for him and his 40 employees.