Potosi and the Silver Mine


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South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi
July 14th 2008
Published: July 15th 2008
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I got to Potosi mid-day after a horrible bus ride and settled into highest city of its size in the world. The main attraction of Potosi is its silver mine and to be able to tour it. On sunday morning we met with our guide and traveled to a site to get out fitted in our miner outfits. We got pants, jackets, rubber boots, helmets, and head lamps. Dressed in our mine outfits we headed to the miner market to buy gifts for the miners. Walking into a small shop we bought coca leaves, alcohol that was 96%, cigarettes, and dynamite. Yes! I did say dynamite. You can go into any store there and buy dynamite and fuse with no questions asked. Not only that but a stick of dynamite only costed 15 bolivianoes. With our gifts in hand we set out to the mines. Driving up the mountain we reached an elevation of 4300 meters to an area where we were going to get a chance to blow up some dynamite for fun. The guide showed us how to prepare the dynamite and with a long fuse he lit it. A few of us took pictures with the lit dynamite, which is kind of stupid but Hey this is Bolivia. The guide took the lit dynamite and ran a ways away from us and buried the dynamite in the ground. A few minutes later the dynamite exploded with a loud bang. After our stint with dynamite we headed to the entrance of the mine. It was sunday so no miners were working in the mine when we went through it. We entered the small opening of the mine and started to walk down the dark, wet, and muddy mine shaft. You have to be careful because some of the ceiling are low and there are pipes and wires going every which way through the mine. We walked deeper and deeper through the lavorinth of different mine shaft going every different way. You also had to look out for holes in the mine that you could easily fall down and die. There are no lights in the mine and all you have to rely on is your head lamp. Its hard to believe that this is still an active mine. The mine was originally started in the 1500´s and contained mass quantities of silver and made the area very rich. Now all the good silver is gone from the mine and what small quantities that are left todays miners are trying to mine. The miners have to buy there own equipment and dynamite and have one area they are allowed to mine and if that area doesn´t have any minerals then the miner is out of luck. The mine is a bit spooky knowing that over 8 million slaves and miners have died in the mines starting from the 1500´s. The miners have no safety regulations and many die at an early age. We walked further into the mine and came apon Tio or the god devil of the mine. Tio is a devil that rules the mine and the miners make offerings of alcohol, cigarettes, and coca leaves in the hopes that they will find alot of silver. Tio is a creepy looking figure and we made offerings to the Tio. We walked along the mine shafts a little longer and finally made our way to the surface. Glad to be back at the surface we headed down the mountain and gave our gifts to passing miners along the way. How people still work in that dangerous mine is incredible but the power of a job and money is sometimes overwhelming. The rest of Potosi is like most cities in South America and today I am heading to the Capital of Bolivia which is Sucre.

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15th July 2008

what were you thinking!!!!
I think the lack of oxygen has gotten to you . Holding live dynamite, oh my god . great pictures and story. Stay safe !!!
16th July 2008

Its not a story till...
something blows up. No one really watchs a car race to see who wins we just want to see the crashes. However, don't go winning a Darwin award by selecting your self out of the gene pool. Have fun and by the way... fire in the HOLE.

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