In case you are roaming around Bolivia, there is one city that seems to encompass a history textbook paired with a mining guide along with a civilization game.
Mind you, this mountain does not comprise of a mere collection of rocks – it is literally the backbone of the city. It is home to innumerable mines. Not to mention the amount of silver that was riches purely brought along preceded dangers, trade and contamination.
Woops, let’s celebrate first, and regret second.
Purchasing a stick of super expensive candy there will get you rare explosives,… err I mean dynamite, in Potosi. Don’t worry you are in safe hands, no form of clearance or a permit is required. Sounds too good to be true? Guess what; it is.
Condori is a local guide and according to him, the dynamite is a blunt weapon there. You may be asking why? Simple, those that are untrained will find death. Trained? Well, you will still get bitten by the style bug.
Toxic Traditions
Mining silver doesn’t just involve using explosives. The refining process also utilizes mercury, and when it is released into the world, it contaminates everything for lungs to rivers.
Have you ever worked in a deep, narrow mine with little to no ventilation? These miners have. The tunnels are filled with silica dust which results in many of them suffering from silicosis—an incurable terminal lung disease.
The Silver’s Gone, But the Struggle Isn’t
You would probably think that after centuries of mining silver, Potosí would be affluent. Spoiler alert: It’s not.
There are almost no subsurface resources left to extract and what’s left is a frail hill that is slowly falling apart.
Children begin working in the mines as teenagers, and most miners die before they turn 40. Its an undeniably tough life.
Rather, it’s not entirely bleak.
Their talent never ceases to impress, be it in music, dance, or art. Each year, the community organizes a community mining festival which is complete with joyous parades, traditional performances, and much more.
Right, Potosí is a wild place; part history, part tragedy, and part celebration. A place where danger and life threats are endless, but so is resilience. A city sculpted from silver, that is shocked with dynamite and kept alive by the will of its citizens.
