Cavendish Mines
The Cavendish Mines are a 26,000 square mile area of unforgiving spiked crags, steep canyons, and desolate stoneways. The terrain is harsh and difficult to traverse, with very little in the way of natural life upon it. For many, it was thought to be a wasted area, another fruitless, resourceless stretch of land within the Zaichaer territory. But one family, the Arnnetts, took a bold move and spent a vast fortune acquiring all the land from the various families that owned it in pieces. They thought there'd be some mineral worth finding if someone would simply invest in a mine there.
After years of surveyors becoming lost and dying within the barrens, a location was finally settled upon and the first of the mines was opened. But it quickly became a bust, as what was originally thought to be gold, increasing the financial hopes of the Arnnett family, turned out to be pyrite and quartz. Fool's gold. The family was financially devastated and publicly humiliated by the elites. They sold the land off for pennies on the dollar to the Cavendish family, the loudest of the families to ridicule them.
Two years later, a vast and deep network of high efficiency coal seams were discovered. The Cavendish family leapt at this, dropping every coin they had into building up the mines and the infrastructure to utilize the coal. This investiture is what would launch Zaichaer into its current height of technological progression. The Cavendish family still owns the entirety of the region, but much of the coal still remains untapped due to the harsh and difficult terrain. The family also owns much of the Grungeworks and exerts massive wealth and influence not just in Karnor but around the entire continent.
The Cavendish Mines supply all of Zaichaer's coal needs, as well as keeps the Galerian Imperium readily supplied. The Cavendish family maintains tight control on all facets of their business and makes sure their family members are properly educated to keep that control. They know exactly how valuable what they have is and they know what nations would do to acquire it for themselves, or to cut it off from their customers. The mines have some of the highest paid private security in the region to keep its workers and resources safe.
The Cavendish Mines are one of the highest paying jobs for all types that are legally allowed to work in Zaichaer. This is very intentional so that the Cavendish family can steal away the best workers at every level of employment to keep their mines expanding and producing. And in order to keep workers happy, they've invented the standardized eight hour work shift and the two day weekend beginning with the Dragon King's Day. They pride themselves on being innovators, but let there be no mistake, they do this not out of the goodness of their hearts, but to keep their profits growing and to stifle all competition.