Down the Potosi mines in Bolivia

Dynamite, check. Coca leaves, check.

These were just two of the gifts we bought at the market on route to meet miners working deep inside Potosi’s famous silver mines.

My 3-month trip around South America was planned on the go so I hadn’t expected to find myself buying sticks of dynamite as gifts prior to clambering around precarious mine-shafts.

The opportunity to explore age-old mining techniques was one of the many things I loved about Bolivia – varied, unexpected and incredibly eye-opening experiences.

At 4,090 metres above sea level, Cerro de Potosi or ‘Cerro Rico’ (‘rich mountain’) is mined primarily for silver and is located at one of the world’s highest cities, Potosi.

Before our visit to the mines in Potosi, Bolivia, my expectations of miners was that they would be middle-aged men, perhaps older, experienced, and working in a reasonably safe and structured way.

What I didn’t expect was that the mining methods haven’t actually changed much since the 16th Century and that some of the miners were very young – too young – the boy pictured here is just 14 years old.

It was shocking to learn that a man’s life expectancy reduces to just 40 years old when he starts working as a miner down the Potosi mines.

The reduced life expectancy is due to the intense work and challenging environment – there’s sulphur and arsenic and the temperature oscillates from very cold to really warm.

Our guide (an ex-miner) explained that miners’ working conditions are very poor and they don’t earn much money. A percentage of income from tourist visits helps to support the mining community.

In addition to dynamite stickes, gifts on our shopping list for the miners included Coca Cola and coca leaves. To maintain their energy levels, the miners rely on Coca Cola and chewing coca leaves which acts as stimulants to keep them going with little food.

Deep under the ground it was really warm, and very claustrophobic. During my visit in 2001, the mines were precarious with little supportive framework. For example we climbed down old, worn, wooden ladders, crawled through low tunnels and crossed over deep holes.

Seeing the miners at work in the tunnels, I was stunned at how fast-paced and agile they were. It was a particularly impressive sight considering the uneven ground and the heavy rocks they were carrying as they scurried about.

I was concerned that we were intruding the miners’ limited space but they seemed to welcome our presence and some even stopped to chat with us.

The miners’ stories about their shrine, ‘el Tio’, were fascinating. Amid the poor air quality in the mines they gave a sculpture, el Tio (the Uncle), a cigarillo to smoke. It’s a ritual they do at the end of every week. The condensed air in the mine shafts makes the cigarette appear to be inhaled by el Tio.

Another memorable tale is about the miners’ relations with each other – the miners work in cooperatives and the different groups don’t always get on (particularly when they intrude in an area of the mines occupied by a rival cooperative). So when that happens it’s not uncommon for the miners to hurl dynamite at each other – deep under the ground!