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Jason and Chelsea's Travel Adventures

Bolivia

Preparing to take a tour of an operational mine just outside Potosi.

BOLIVIA | Monday, 4 February 2008 | Views [339]

Preparing to take a tour of an operational mine just outside Potosi.

The main plaza in central Potosi. Potosi was founded in 1545 after the discovery of ore deposits in the surrounding mountains. It quickly became the undisputed ´richest city in the world´ with the profits from numerous silver mines fueling the city´s rapid expansion. The generated wealth helped to underwrite the Spanish economy for over 2 centuries. The mines were so dangerous that over 8 Million people died in those 2 centuries - many of them african slaves brought over by the Spanish to work in the mines.
Most of the ore has now been mined out and town is merely a faded reflection of its former self. However, Potosi still has the claim to fame of being the ´World´s highest city´ at 4060m (13,400ft).

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Taking a walk through the ´Refinerey´ where the silver and other metals are removed from the bulk material. Lots of unguarded belts, shafts, pulleys, tanks and rock crushers made this particular tour an ´Occupational Heath & Safety´ NIGHTMARE! Their answer was also sufficiently vauge when I asked how they disposed of the toxic waste water containing chemicals such as cyanide!

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