mining in potosi, bolivia

yeah it's dynamite
el minero

This was truly an experience. Potosi is an old colonial mining city, minig in the cerro rico started in the 16th century and it seems that methods only have changed slightly since then. There is 15.ooo miners working in that mountain, everybody can dig, exploit and use dynamite as they want. They are organised in cooperativas but there is no general organisation present. The miners don't eat during the day, they only chew coca-leaves, drink 70% alcohol and fizzy drinks, smoke cigarettes. Temperatures going up high in the mine, the dust damaging the lungs permanently, we read somewhere that once 50% of a miners lung are gone he then can retire. 2000 dollars are paid to the family if someone dies. Such a hard life.