Mine visit in Potosi

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This is one of the most impressing visits i did.
Potosi is the highest city in the world with 4060m.
The Cerro Rico is the biggest mine in this region and from there opening in 16th century 8 million workers died here, of course most of them in the first centuries-most slaves.
It¨s a silver mine which made Potosi once to one of the most riches cities in the world.
But still around 40-50 miners die every year because of fallin¨rocks after explosion or mostly in cause of siliconis.
One Tourist died because he tried to visit the mine alone.
I have so much respect to this miners after seeing there working place and space.
They are working under conditions we never could.

This mine is still in use,it¨s a real mine,real working area we visited.
Unfortenetly we just met 2 miners-it was sunday!

Most of them doesn¨t reach the age of 45.

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Photos

way to the mine
cerro rico in back.entrance at 4100m.

Tio, the god under the earth
the miners used to avoid working in the mines after opening in 16th century because they believe very strongly and god (as we know him) can¨t secure them under the earth so a new god was created-tio.
Tio means originally god but in quechua,the original language of bolivia,the letter "D" doesn¨t exist so it was named tio.

turn off the lights
...thats the result

ready to explode
no joke they are already burning....