The history of the longest three-kilometer train crossing the Sahara dates back to the 1960s, when rich deposits of iron ore were discovered in the mountains of northern Mauritania. At that time, a railway line was built with the primary purpose of transporting the valuable raw material from the mines in Zouérat to the port of Nouadhibou. Today, more than 60 years later, the mine and the railway remain one of the key sources of income for Mauritania's economy. However, the mining activity has not remained without environmental consequences - the landscape has been transformed, and dust suspended constantly in the air has become an inseparable part of this harsh place.

The train consists of 210 cars, each capable of carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore. Residents traveling from the port city must cover approximately 704 kilometers through one of the most arid and inhospitable regions on Earth. There is only one passenger car on the entire train, and not everyone can afford a seat in it. Many locals are forced to travel for twenty hours on top of iron ore mounds. Daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C, while at night they can drop as low as 5°C.