At over 4000m above sea level lies Potosi, South America’s highest city. Steeped in history, Potosi became the foundation of the Spanish empire, its silver excavation making it one of the wealthiest cities in the world by the 17th century. Bolivia gained independence in 1825, with silver depleting and the price of silver crashing, Potosi's population plummeted. To this day, Potosi is yet to recover. Potosi, remains an anomaly to the surrounding altiplano, where most rely on agriculture, the people of Potosi still try to mine what they can from the Cerro Rico mountain.
The family run mining cooperatives cannot afford the modern technologies to make the mines safer. Each miner owns what they extract, and must cover the costs of their own equipment. You’ll find children as young as 8 buying dynamite and working in the mines. Conditions remain dangerous, they believe once you enter, El Tio (devil like spirit) is in control and will not harm you, if you give offerings upon entering.
First off we were dead set against going on a mining tour. Then we debated it, and whether it truly aligned with our ethics. We ummed and aahed for a while, and took some time at the hotel to do some research. Who was leading these tours, were they profiting off other people's poverty? Were they just tours to make western tourists feel better about themselves? What we found; through certain tour operators very basic health insurance was able to be provided by cooperatives. Further research confirmed there were some large benefits to the tours from a miners perspective. Many run by miners themselves or former miners who were unable to work in the mines anymore due to health problems, therefore taking a tour would increase a former miners income to help their family. Many workers proudly work in the mines to support their families. Thus, we opted to take the tour and see for ourselves the Potosi mines experience.
The tour starts with an initial stop to get changed and pick up safety equipment, you’ll find yourself clad in orange overalls, wellies, a helmet and headlamp. Next, a stop to pick up offerings to the miners, including dynamite, 96% alcohol and food. Then, you’ll find yourself heading into the mines, through narrow tunnels, hunched over, in darkness. At an altitude of 4000m, oxygen is already scarce, add to that heading deep into the mountain, and rapidly fluctuating temperatures, as the oxygen thinned, and tunnels narrowed, it is a feeling you can’t describe. I.e if you’re claustrophobic don’t do this. Add to that navigating the gaping holes in the ground. I can’t count the amount of times I hit my head, I was lucky I had a helmet. It wasn’t until we were deep within the mines we were told the crystal like structures on the ceilings resembled properties of asbestos. Then, as you hear the sound of an explosion, it truly hits you that you’re in an active mine. As you emerge outside again, you take a big breathe in, and appreciate the fresh air. An eye opening experience, that if you choose a good tour operator, don’t view the workers as zoo animals and want an experience a documentary can’t deliver, we’d recommend it to you.
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