Helping out in the mine

Scary silver mines in the highest city in the world

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October 27th 2006
Here we are in Potosi, once the richest city in the whole world and still the highest. Fortunes were made from the silver found in the Cerro Rico (hill overlooking the city). Now the silver deposits have all but run dry but the ancient mines are still up and running with much the same working practices and conditions and so some bright spark decided to tout it as a tourist attraction. So we fi ... read more

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi

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Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1... ... read more