Spice mines of Kessel

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"We'll be sent to the spice mines of Kessel, smashed into who-knows-what!"

―C-3PO^[src]

The spice mines of Kessel were a series of labor camps on the planet Kessel, where various species and Wookiee slaves were forced to mine a medicinal spice mineral into a dangerous drug. Spice mining was extremely dangerous and slaves were thus used as expendable labor. Life expectancy for humanoid species was two to three years, while Wookiees had an expected survival time of three months.^[3]^[4] The Kessel royal family turned a blind eye to the harvesting of spice on their world, living in luxurious sanctuaries in the southern hemisphere of the planet, while the spice mining took place in the northern hemisphere.

Spice mining was accomplished via the use of deep pits, mine shafts and massive refineries.^[1]

History

"It's a death sentence."

―Hera Syndulla^[src]

Approximately 10 years before the Battle of Yavin, the Empire sent Nakari Kelen's mother to the Spice mines of Kessel for writing the song "Vader’s Many Prosthetic Parts," along with the entire membership of the band Hakko Drazlip and the Tootle Froots for performing it.^[3]

Approximately 14 years after the Galactic Republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire, a group of Wookiees, including Wullffwarro and his son Kitwarr were sent to Spice mine K76 by Agent Kallus. However after a brief fracas involving a group of rebels from Lothal, the Wookiee slaves were rescued and brought aboard the heavily modified VCX-100 light freighter Ghost. ^[1]

When Imperial forces boarded the Tantive IV, C-3PO was worried that he and R2-D2 would be sent to the spice mines of Kessel.^[5]

Behind the scenes

The Spice of Mines of Kessel were first mentioned in passing in the novelization of the original Star Wars film and also in the film itself, but did not appear again or be mentioned in any canon Star Wars media prior to Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion. Star Wars Legends stories expanded upon the mines, but these details are non-canon.