Dust and dirt in the mines of Potosi
Trip Start
Mar 25, 2007
1
61
72
Trip End
Feb 16, 2008
Potosi,
Bolivia
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The area around Sucre used to be a lake, (wouldnīt know it now, its a dust bowl!) and so the dinosaurs used it to some down and drink, and they found 5000 footprints in a vertical wall in a cement quarry.
They have now built a whole park around it, with scale models of the dinosaurs whose prints they identified, as well as some others for interest. The models were really good, and although it was cheesy it was also very interesting, (a tour guide in english was included in the price), and then we set off for Potosi, just down the road (3 hours) having enjoyed our morning.
We arrived in Potosi about 5.30 pm, found the cheapest hotel in town, then headed to the tour agencies before they closed at 8, to book our mine experinece for the next day. We only went to one travel agency, unusual for us, but they had been recommended to us twice and were in the Lonely Planet so we just went with them. (Koala Tours)
The next day we met at the office, and they loaded us and 2 dutch guys into a bus that really didnīt look like it would make it up the hill, then we went to get dressed up for the experience! We got gum boots, jackets, protective pants (one size fits all is funny!) and hard hats, complete with head torch. Then they took us to the miners cooperative where we were to buy pressies for the miners, and to Hamishīs delight, this included dynamite. So we stocked up, then they left us in the marketplace for 20 mins feeling like idiot gringos all dressed up with no mine to go to!
Then they picked us up again eventually, then took us to a small refinery, where they process the ore from the Mountain. They used to just look for the silver, but now extract tin, asbestos, and lots of other things that i canīt remember. The whole process is very messy looking, but we walked through the plant, Astro would have been in heaven. They export the silver at about 48% concentrate, and it is then refined further and smelted, then turned into goods that Bolivia buys back..,..Seems a bit silly but i guess other countries are better at processing it.
Then it was time for the mine proper. There are 42 different companies mining the mountain, and none really know where the others are so anything could happen at any time. The miners all work in co operatives, so get paid according to how much they produce. At the moment they make quite a good income, because the commodity prices are high. We went into the mine , but got a bit freaked out when 2 minutes in the guide started running back and yelling īgo back ,go back, ībut it was just a trolley coming out on the railway tracks, we just had to find a whole in the wall to press into. We then headed in to the mine further, then down a very small hole to the 2nd and third levels. They used to carry all the ore out by hand but now have electric winches to get the stuff out faster. It was very hard to breath down there, and i donņt know how they work 8 hours down there with no break. The miners have a life expectancy of about 40, mostly due to silocosis in the lungs. The conditions they work in havenīt changed much in the last 300 years.
They have predicted that the mountain will last another 3-4 years, then the 5000 people who work in the mine, plus all those in the refinerys will be out of work. A very scary prospect for the area.
All in all it was a very worthwhile experience, but sad to see the miners in those conditions.
Hope you are all well, and if i donīt get to do this again before christmas, I hope you all have a good day and Santa is good to you all!
Take care, Katie and Hamish
