At 4070m Potosi was founded in 1545 with its Cerro Rico, a "Rich Hill" full of silver. During the boom years it became the largest and wealthiest city of the Americas. The amount of silver extracted is up for debate but one boast is that the Spanish could have constructed a silver bridge to Spain and still had silver left to carry across it. However the conditions under which the ore was extracted were abysmal and nothing much has changed in today's climate, it is dreadful. It is estimated that in over three centuries of colonial rule, 1545 - 1825, as many as eight million Africans and indigenous Bolivians died from the appalling conditions. Temperatures underground range from below freezing to above 115*c. The miners, exposed to all sorts of noxious chemicals and gases, normally die of silicosis pneumonia within 10 - 15 years. Since these cooperative mines are owned by the miners themselves they must produce to make a meagre living.
We were left under no illusion the danger these miners are under as they mine by hand and dynamite and are warned again of the shocking conditions.
We were prepared by our guides at our hostel with leggings, jackets, boots and a miners lamp. First stop the miners market to collect a few gifts of cigarettes, alcohol, juice and coco leaves. It became evident the way in which the miners cope was to constantly chew the coco leaves, drink 96% alcohol and work in a trance like state. We bought these items and unbelievably I also bought a stick of dynamite, a detonator, a fuse and some ammonium nitrate prill ( booster to make it more powerful ) all for £2.00 and put them in my rucksack and walked around town for an hour or so. I couldn't get my head around the fact I'd just bought these items from a small shop and I could have had as much as I wanted. By the time we got to the mines our guides were pretty red faced, both with large wadges of coco leaves packed into their cheeks. From the outset it looked a pretty desolate place and hardship was evident all around. The toilets were pointed out but no need to use them as they were full !!! not pleasant. Split into two groups we entered a small hole in the mountain side and ventured deep within in a permanent semi crouched position. Dark, tight tunnels twisting and turning, held up with wooden pit props, several broken, we ventured deeper into the labyrinth of passages. Eventually completing a 180* turn at the same time as climbing upwards and squeezing through a hole we came to a dead end where four miners were working. The air was dusty, thin on oxygen and breathing was difficult. I had a dust mask on plus a neck scarf to cut out the excessive dust. The miners had nothing except big wads of coco leaves. We sat with them whilst they explained their work, rituals and life's in general. We drank with them out of respect and to toast their god Tata Kaj'chu. I handed over my gifts and one of the miners proceeded to make the device used to blow the rock right in front of us. Having cut the dynamite in half he then attached the fuse to the detonator by crimping it (biting it) with his teeth. Now I've seen pictures of someone doing that when the detonator went off, not pleasant, so I did wince at this point. All made up using the alcohol container they placed it in a ready made hole and lit the fuse. We departed along a dead end tunnel around the corner and counted down. BOOM !! And a pressure wave went through you, the rocks were falling followed by a massive dust cloud.
We again chatted and returned to the blast site to see the effect of half a stick of dynamite. All that remained was a pile of rock and a shred of fuse.
All in all this was an incredible insight into the lives of the Potosi miners, the hardships, the dreadful working conditions, what they deal with on a daily basis and how they cope. A fascinating insight, an amazing experience which I personally wouldn't do again but an experience nevertheless. What another incredible day which wasn't to be missed.
Adios amigos
Tony x
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