mine tour

Eager tourist miners being equiped for mining. I wonder why they didn't give out masks, later I knew why...

we are each buying live dynamites from the market, so much so for tourist safety.

nothing better than a pack of coca leaves for the miners

After centuries of exploit, the silve content is not very high now. Lest than 12%

all of these are highly toxic substances released from the mineral

I am not sure what it does, I think it is used to grind minerals

filter out the useful substance from minerals

I don't know what these machinese are for, I just give them random names.

he wasn't crying, he was yawning

It is from Potos� that most of the silver shipped through the Spanish Main came. According to official records, 45,000 tons of pure silver were mined from Cerro Rico from 1556 to 1783. Of this total, 9,000 tons went to the Spanish monarchy. Indian laborers, forced by Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa through the traditional Incan mita institution of contributed labor, came to die by the thousands, not simply from exposure and brutal labor, but by mercury poisoning: in the patio process the silver-ore, having been crushed to powder by hydraulic machinery, was cold-mixed with mercury and trodden to an amalgam by the native workers with their bare feet. The mercury was then driven off by heating, producing deadly vapors.

To compensate for the diminishing indigenous labor force, the colonists made a request in 1608 to the Crown in Madrid to begin allowing for the importation of 1500 to 2000 African slaves per year. An estimated total of 30,000 African slaves were taken to Potos� throughout the colonial era. African slaves were also forced to work in the Casa de la Moneda as ac�milas humanas (human mules). Since mules would die after couple of months pushing the mills, the colonists replaced the four mules with twenty African slaves. (Angola Maconde 1999)

statue of the devil... not really devil, it was an underground god worshipped by the natives

He was wearing N-91 mask. That's the only useful mask in the mine...

In 1672, a mint was established to coin silver and water reservoirs were built to fulfill the growing population's needs. At that time more than eighty six churches were built and the city's population increased to nearly 200,000, making it one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Latin America and in the world.

After 1800 the silver mines became depleted, making tin the main product. This eventually led to a slow economic decline. Still, the mountain continues to be mined for silver to this day. Due to poor worker conditions (lack of protective equipment from the constant inhalation of dust), the miners still have a short life expectancy with most of them contracting silicosis and dying around 40 years of age. It is estimated that, in the past years of indigenous labour, roughly 8 million Indians died, "eaten" by the Rich Hill.

this cart weight about two tons

During the War of Independence (1809�1825, see History of Bolivia) Potosi frequently passed between the control of Royalist and Patriot forces. Major blunders by the First Auxiliary Army from Buenos Aires (under the command of Juan Jos� Castelli) led to an increased sense that independence was needed and fostered resentment towards him. During that occupation there was anarchy and martial excess, and Potosi became unfriendly to the point where it could not be defended.

don't eat it, it is dynamite

She is very happy about holding a live dynamite....

Naturally I use long zoom to take this picture

luckily, no tourist was harmed in the explosion

This is the reason why they don't hand out mask for tourists. My mask (brought from Canada) was clogged as soon as I entered the mine. I almost suffocated in that high altitude mine. If you need a mask, bring a real mask (the one with a dirt filter).