A novel idea where "children yearn for the mines" is employed by a society for economic gain. The kids WANT to mine, adults don't. Each child is assigned a humanoid guardian robot who's sole job is to keep the kids safe. The kids are naturally risk-taking, the robots hold them back for their own good.

The general public is fine with it, because everyone benefits. The children gladly work in the mines, the country's GDP goes up, the adults get to continue their fantasy tech jobs, and everybody's happy.

Until one day, mythical creatures emerge from the fiery depths of the Earth's mantle. When news first breaks, people brush it off as parody. "Haha, miners¹ say the darnedest things." The videos, dismissed as AI generated. Life goes on as normal, with only the children workers really affected by the monster's presence.

The miners continue working, as there is no perceived threat. Historically, there never has been any threats, because the Guardians have always protected the children with absolute certainty.

Gas leak? The guardians sense it before anything else, and evacuate everyone until it's safe. Collapse due to unstable ceiling? Unheard of, because the crystal clarity of exotic X-Ray (XX-Ray) surveying technology, continuously performed by the fleet of sensor packages carried by the well-equipped guardians.

The surveying and planning is so meticulously carried out by AI, that all that's left for the children to do is dig where their guardians point and call. It's a symbiotic relationship between child and Guardian, each Guardian configured with the child's ideal partner personality. The children enjoy working with their Guardian, and Guardian effortlessly simulates enthusiasm and mirrors it back.

Mining equipment, methods? The classic drill and blast technique-- same as was used during the Hoover dam excavation. Nowadays, lightweight carbon nano rods make the power tools so lightweight that a child could use them. It also helps that most kids are eating a healthy dose of enriched food which makes them grow tall and strong.

The process goes like this. Send in a group of miners with handheld power tools. Drill deep holes, then pack the holes with explosives. Evacuate the area, detonate the TNT, then once the smoke has cleared, get back in there with shovels and buckets. Pick up the debris, carry it away, chisel away any jagged edges, then repeat ad infinitum until the desired area is excavated.

Using this technique, minors can create vast chambers, or long tunnels. It all depends on the patterned placement of drill and explosive.

Back to the creatures. They start out just lurking and observing the miner's activities. Rarely noticed, they peer from the shadows with emotionless, watchful eyes.

Eventually, a creature crawls out towards a group of 3 minors. It has six long limbs, dark, and hairy, covered in a greasy film. It's got four eyes, a deep amber color. It's mouth has a wide smile with sharp grey teeth.

The Guardians are the first to realize the creature's presence. Their heads turn on a pin, facing completely backwards, before their whole body leaps and lunges to place itself between the children and the unknown creature. The Guardian spreads it's arms wide in a gesture urging the creature to go no further.

Caution! Unknown entity in the mine: State your intentions.

The creature takes a step back, anticipating an attack, before realizing the robot has stopped. The creature makes no verbal response, and only tilts it's head to one side.

The children, captivated by the creature, put down their tools and run closer. The guardians outstretch their arms to shield the children. The sheltered children peek from the sides, looking in awe.

The robot's cameras adjust it's focus to get the best view of the creature.

Unknown entity: state your intentions.

The creature's eyes shift between each extremity of the robot's limbs. It backs away slowly, while tilting it's head in the opposite direction.

The children are enthralled and look with awe.

It's a spider-man!
Cool!
Can we keep him?

The creature turns and runs.

The robot analyzes the creature as it ducks into the shadows. It submits an incident report to the board of directors, who sweep it under the rug. The story gets leaked on Twitter, which ends up being mocked and ridiculed as fake news.

The children know the real story, but they're a class of human that doesn't get much respect. Their stories are rationalized by the general public as fantasy. Children's games played to pass the time.

[1]: Miners is used, when minors could have been. The children are minor miners, after all. In this society, it's normalized that all miners are minors, so the two words are used interchangeably.