Apart from the altitude, the city is defined by the giant `Cerro Rico´ that towers over the town. Once a tremendous source of silver (now depleted), the mine is still worked to extract tin and other precious metals.
It was in this mountain that I was to take a guided tour of a working silver mine....
I set off on the tour the next day, before getting kitted out in safety gear we stopped at the local market to buy some gifts for the mine workers. I passed on bottles of 96% alcohol, cigarettes (their lungs are bad enough!) and sticks of dynamite (only $3US!) and instead opted for bottled water and cocoa leaves.
After a short tour through the basic processing plants we came to one of the many mine entrances. I spent two hours below the surface, slowly making my way through tiny rock corridors, at one stage having to crawl along on my hands and knees. A fine dust clogged the air (a bandanna helped but by the end it was so wet from sweat I couldn't breath) and the smell of sulphur and other chemicals was fierce! We descended four stages, the heat in the lower levels was intense! It was supposedly over 35 degrees where the workers were actively mining the rock, inhuman!
We eventually made it back out, none to soon, the bright sun was blinding but the cool breeze was welcome. It is was an amazing experience but one that you would have trouble trying to get me to repeat.
Spare a thought for the people (including children) that work there year round. Potosi has a fascinating history.
More photos here
