Bolivia Guide
The southern Altiplano
Cerro Rico
Immediately south of Potosí the near-perfect cone of Cerro Rico (Sumaj Orko in Quechua) rises above the city, its slopes stained in startling hues of red and yellow by centuries of mining waste, and pockmarked with the entrances to the thousands of mines that lead deep into its entrails. Though Potosí's famous silver is now pretty much exhausted, many of the shafts are still worked by miners who eke out a marginal existence from the ores still to be found there.
Numerous agencies run regular tours to the mines. These last half a day and should cost the official rate of $10 per person. Almost all the guides are former miners themselves, though few speak more than limited English. Groups should be no bigger than eight people, and you should be provided with rubber boots, a mining jacket or overalls, safety helmet and headlamp. Be warned that this is an unpleasant and highly dangerous environment, where safety precautions are largely left to supernatural forces. The mines are dirty, wet, muddy and very claustrophobic. The air inside is fetid with dust and gases, including arsenic, and the chances of being hit by falling rocks or a speeding mine trolley are real. Many of the tunnels are narrow and have low ceilings, and temperatures can reach over 40°C. Of every group of eight or so visitors, one or two usually head for the exit within ten minutes of entering the mine – if you don't like it, your guide will lead you out.
Tours of the mines begin with a visit to the miners' market on and around Plaza El Calvario, where you can buy coca, dynamite, black-tobacco cigarettes, pure cane alcohol and fizzy soft drinks – you should take a selection of these as gifts for the miners you'll be visiting. About 7000 miners still work in Cerro Rico, including 1000 children, divided between around 27 different mining cooperatives. The most commonly visited mines include Candelaria, Santa Rita, Santa Rosita and Rosario.