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Published: October 21st 2007
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The primary reasons for our trip to Potosi was my desire to take a tour of the silver mines and Lynsey´s desire to buy cheap silver jewellery. Unforuntately, we soon discovered that Bolivia exports its silver and other precious metals and there is not a jewellery store to be found anywhere!
Happily, however, I was able to take a tour of the mines (with Koala Tours who were excellent) and without hesitation it was one of the best/most confronting things I have ever done. Lynsey decided not to take the tour which in hindsight was a wise decision given her dislike of confined spaces.
For the small sum of US$10 we geared up in protective clothing (including sexy helmet and miner´s light) and headed to the ¨miner´s market¨where we bought gifts for the miners including cocoa leaves, soft drinks and dynamite!
We then entered the mines and spent the next 3 hours clambering through tiny cavities in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. The difficulty of the tour was increased by the fact that Potosi is the highest city in the world sitting at an altitude of 3,967 meters above sea level.
Without exaggeration, the conditions in the mine
were hellish. The miners use practices similar to those used in the 1700´s with very few mechanical devices used. For instance, our guide (who had worked in the mine for 7 years) weighed only 46kgs yet carried 50kg bags of iron ore through spaces that I could barely drag myself.
Each afternoon, dynamite is detonated in the mines and the following day, the miners enter and retrieve the broken iron ore. This obviously presents the risk of cave-ins which is exaccerbated by the fact that dozens of teams operate in the mines and no-one keeps track of where each team is mining. The areas we climbed through literally looked like swiss chess (and we didn´t even make it to the lowest level due to safety concerns).
Each mining team consists of 4 men who push/pull 2 buckets along an ancient train line. These buckets filled with iron ore weigh approximately 2 tonne and are emptied into a winch which leads to the surface.
Each team is highly competitive as the more iron ore that is extracted results in higher wages. By way of example, the average monthly wage in Bolivia is 600 Bolivianos (approx AUS$100) yet the
miners earn in excess of 3,000 Bolivianos (AUS$500). When the price of minerals rises high enough, it is common for doctors and lawyers to enter the mines to supplement their incomes!
We soon learnt firsthand just how competitive these teams are. As we watched the miners work, one team was too slow for another team and we saw a fight break out amongst the 8 men. It was truly a horrific experience seeing men fighting 300 metres below the surface.
Regardless of the increased wages, the risk is enormous and most miners die within 10 years of entering the mine due to poor worker conditions (cave-ins and lack of protective equipment from the constant inhalation of dust). It is estimated that, in the past 300 years of indigenous labour, roughly 8 million indians have died in the mines.
In an effort to overcome the physical and mental stress of the mines, the miners chew cocoa leaves and we were told that many drink heavily. Prior to entering the mine, I tasted the alcohol prefered by the miners - it it 98% proof... needless to say it tasted like petrol!
I also tried some cocoa leaves but
quickly found them to be rancid... apparently 150 cocoa leaves must be placed in the mouth and chewed leading to a similar effect of uncut cocaine. Interestingly, the cocoa leaf (from which cocaine is produced) is legal in Bolivia and is widely chewed. For instance, cocoa tea is available for breakfast and the leaf is a central part of the culture here.
We have been told that many Bolivians despise how western societies have corrupted the use of cocoa. Despite this, the production of cocoa (and the illegal export of cocaine) constitutes the largest component of Peru´s and Bolivia´s GDP.
Following the tour of the mine, we were taught how to make and detonate plastic explosives. Truly a unique situation learning how to insert a detonator into TNT and light it before running like hell!!!!
Aside from the mine tour, we didn´t particularly like the town of Potosi so we are heading off on an overnight bus to La Paz, the capìtal city of Bolivia.
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Kimberley
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WOW!
Amazing tales from afar, having just read your past two entries I have decided that you two are not only brave but a little crazy! Good on you for giving everything a go! Enjoy Peru, it is one of the many places I long to visit so I am excited to read about your time there and view some photos! Stay safe!