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Published: February 26th 2007
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Miners
Richard, Lauren, Andy and Me getting all suited up for the tour (notice the rocks... we´re pretty hardcore!) The chance of a lifetime was presented to us with the opportunity to travel to Potosi and visit one of the oldest and most productive Silver Mines in the entire world. Silver was first discovered in 1544 and from then on in the town only expanded, and the mining shafts only got deeper. Until the start of its decline in the late 18th-early 19th century Potosi was actually the richest city in the whole world - moreso that London or even Paris!!
Since the opening of the mine in the mountain Cerro Rico, there have been over 8 million deaths attributed to it- from collapses, lung diseases (which are still extremely frequent, causing miners to die around the age of 40 from over exposure to dust, chemicals and the lack of fresh air in the mines) and dynamite mishaps!
Our tour started with all us gringos getting suited up in full mining outfits... the rubber boots, pants, jackets, safety vests, helmets and headlamps with battery packs... and then heading to the local mining store to purchase gifts for the miners and DYNAMITE! It´s a little bit crazy that anyone can walk into a store and buy as many sticks
Carnaval
A truck decorated for carnaval - did I mention that we had to walk around in our rainjackets because tourists got targeted with water balloons, massive super soakers and foam spray!?!? of explosive as theý´d like, including the charge, and the dirt cheap fertilizer that enhances the explosion - our guide explained that this is why there are so many violent protests in Bolivia, because EVERYONE has access to materials to easily make bombs!!!
Next stop was the factory where the collectives (groups of miners) sell their materials to be chemicalized (ahah, is that a word?) and extracted from the surrounding rocks. We were able to see the paste drying in the sun that would soon be pure silver, as well as the processes that all of the materials - zinc, tin, silver and lead are the most abundant in this specific mine- are subjected to... we also had the pleasure of having silver ´rings´ painted onto our hands (and faces, in Lauren´s case!) of the liquid silver that dried into a glimmering dirt-ring.
After the factory we headed up the hill to the mine itself. We entered the shaft and spent the next 2 hours underground; from walking upright in large caverns on the crossroads of the little tunnels, to being on our hands and knees crawling through tiny holes that were no taller than our backs... we
Guide and Chemical Wash Plant
Showing us the ins and outs of extracting minerals... notice the Carnaval flags and decorations pasted around climbed up and down rickidy ladders, sketchy slides of semi-cut staircases that were covered in loose dirt, and looked into caverns 20metres below - assuring ourselves that we wouldn´t fall!!!! It was quite the adventure. Some of our group had to be escorted out due to clausterphoebia - I have to admit, there were a few times that I started to panic a little bit, but deep breathing helped a whole lot. Haha, unfortunately we were at over 4300m above sea level... AND we were in a tunnel with no fresh air and dust particles kicked up from dozens of passing feet. Deep breathing helped, but fresh air sure would have made a difference.
Remember I said that we bought presents for the miners? Well, unfortunate for them most weren´t the mine that day. The night before was Fat Tuesday and all of the miners who usually worked during the day were too busy nursing their hangovers to go to work! We did get to see a few pounding the rocks to pulp, or making holes for sticks of dynamite to go into... or just walking out after collecting their valuable rocks from the previous day´s explosions... they did
Just holdin´ some Dynamite
recently purchased explosives appreciate our bags of coco leaves (the guide told us that a miner spends an average of 13% of his wages on coca leaves alone!!!) and fizzy pop - good for the suger high and energy boost.
Our guide was an ex-miner and gave us some insight about the life underground... much to our amazement he said that many of the miners would prefer to work underground than in an office where there was no chance to make hoards of money. Although very few miners REALLY struck it rich, the thought of it was enough to keep them all going! As well, the comaradery that the diggers shared both before their shifts on the way to the mine, during their working days (or nights, as some men spend over 20 hours at a time underground), and after they had finished, was a relief for all of them... there is always time enough for drinking, feeding the Tío of the mountain beer and 98% proof alcohol (which is absolutely NASTY!) to keep him happy and to ensure that he shows them the good seams of minerals! Our guide started in the mines when he was 10 years old with his
Last Breath of Fresh air...
Lauren getting ready to enter the depths of the mine.... oooooo father after one of his uncles died of infected lungs and they needed an extra pair of hands. Although he does guiding when there are lots of tourists and not enough sober guides, he still prefers the work in the mines!
I didnt get it, and was extremely relieved to get out into fresh air, natural light and a space where I could stand up straight without banging my head on a timber or a low-slung rock!!!
After our few hours underground we got to explode some dynamite!! weeeow! What a blast - we definitely weren´t expecting the magnitude of it and my video of it is one of the funniest things I´ve heard in a long time- all the people talking like normal, a MASSIVE blast and then a string of screaming, swearing and hysterical laughing... 4 times over!
Needless to say, I don´t think my calling is mining and I have a serious admiration for the men and the women who are able to crawl into their tunnels everyday and spend hours with only artificial light and the resounding thuds of hammers and distant explosions to keep them company! Best of luck to all them!
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