noun
skilled miner; coal-cutter
Refers to a miner who works at the coal face, cutting coal; contrasted with 後山 (あとやま), a less skilled miner who transports the coal.
See also: 後山
先山は坑道の奥で石炭を掘り進める。
The skilled miner digs coal deep in the mine tunnel.
かつて炭鉱では、先山と後山がペアで作業していた。
In the old coal mines, a skilled miner and a helper worked as a pair.
後山 is the less skilled miner who transports the coal cut by the 先山; they work as a team.
Compound of 先 (さき, 'front, ahead') and 山 (やま, 'mine'), referring to the miner who works at the front of the coal face.