Underground sights in Potosí
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Cooperative Mines
A visit to the Cooperative Mines will almost surely be one of the most memorable experiences you'll have in Bolivia, providing an opportunity to witness working conditions that are among the most grueling imaginable. You may be left stunned and/or ill.In the cooperative mines on Cerro Rico, all work is done with primitive tools, and underground temperatures vary from below freezing - the altitude is over 4200m - to a stifling 45°C on the fourth and fifth levels.
Miners, exposed to all sorts of noxious chemicals and gases, normally die of silicosis pneumonia within 10 to 15 years of entering the mines.
Contrary to popular rumor, women are admitted to many cooperative mines…
reviewed
