back to the salt mines

Idioms and Phrases

Resume work, usually with some reluctance, as in With my slavedriver of a boss, even on Saturdays it's back to the salt mines . This term alludes to the Russian practice of punishing prisoners by sending them to work in the salt mines of Siberia. Today the term is only used ironically. [Late 1800s] Also see keep one's nose to the grindstone .

Example Sentences

For researchers in this field, then, it’s time to go back to the salt mines.

From Science Magazine

So it’s back to the salt mines for the legions of government workers and health care providers charged with implementing the ambitious reforms, which seek to beef up the Medicaid program for low-income Americans and open the private insurance market to all comers, regardless of health status, and thus cover tens of millions currently lacking insurance — all while cutting health care costs, at least in theory.

From Time