Mining in Potosi..I think I got the black lung

---

When I arrived in Potosi it was 3am and one of the guys I was traveling with just realized someone had stole his backpack containing his $800 camera and passport. He handled the situation a lot better than I would have and he was able to sort things out. Potosi at 13,500 ft is the highest city in the world and was once one of the wealthiest due to its´ large amounts of silver. The mines here have a lot of history and are known for ending many lives through lung diseases and accidents. Tourists are given an oppurtunity to the see the horrible working conditions in the mines through tours. The only warning they give tourists is ¨Don´t participate if you are asthmatic or claustrophobic.¨ Since I have neither of these I jumped on the tour. First, we stopped at a little market where we were to buy gifts for the miners, such as soda, coca leaves (which they chew on all day to offset hunger because they do not eat), and dynamite! We also had the opportunity to buy the miners their alcohol of choice which is basically rubbing alcohol. It was 95% alcohol! None of us bought any but we did try some. The miners have to pay for all working materials themselves and they make an average of $200 a month.

When we entered the mine I could instantly see all the dust I was about to ingest. They did give us a bandana to wear around our mouths but I doubt that did much. The mines contain asbestos and other toxic chemicals which usually inflict asbestosis or silicosis on the miners. As we descended into the mine the smaller our path became and the hotter it got. At many points we had to crawl on our hands and knees and squeeze through small openings. We stopped to see a worker tucked in a small dark corner of the mine searching for the best place to hammer in a hole for the dynamite. We gave him some soda and coca leaves and then moved deeper into the mine. We saw another man slowly hammering his hole that would take about 4 hours to make. He had been working in the mine for 29 years. Most develop some sort of lung disease after 15 years.

Before heading out of the mine we went down one more level. I wasn´t too eager since I already was having a lot of trouble breathing due to being so far underground and also the high altitude. As we crawled I would become so out of breath that I would have to stop and couldnt actually regain it for about a minute. At one point a few of us were all stopped gasping to get some air in our lungs. I felt like I was suffocating which was not a pleasant feeling. When I thought of the guys that work down here everyday for years I felt like a bit of a wuss and thus toughened up.

When I felt the air getting cooler and saw the light at the end of the dark tunnel I was so relieved to be out of there. I was absolutely exhausted after only being in the mine for 2 hours. My throat and lungs were burning and I just could not beleive how anyone could work in those conditions. On a lighter note, a bit later we got to hold lit dynamite and then watch it blow up. Anything for the tourists.

That weekend was also the referendum for Evo Morales. He ended up winning and there was a big celebration in the plaza in Potosi. Evo comes from a coca farming family and is all for the farmers of Bolivia. He is also against depending on the US for anything and has broke a lot of its ties with the US, which does not make Bush very happy . There was a great painting in Potosi that really described Bolivia´s struggles and its´attempt to break away from its chains to the US.

---

Comments

[Timmy]

Damn it Brett you were only down there for two hours