Bolivia - Industry - Silver and tin miners at work

Potosi is the most famous city in Bolivia for silver and tin mining, Cerro Rico which means rich hill has been used to extract silver for over four hundred years and is still mined today, the conditions are terrible for the workers and silicosis is very coomon, many of the miners are underage and die in accidents, they worship El Tio - the God of the underworld who is said to have an appetite for destruction and needs to be appeased with coca, alcohol and tobacco to keep the miners safe

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Filename: _MG_5835_1_1.jpg
Copyright: Phil Clarke-Hill
Image Size: 4243x2828 / 1.5MB; Potosi miners Bolivia ch'alla beer coca alcohol tradition religion El Tio mine mining tin silver drinking cerro rico rich hill poor working conditions danger dangerous dynamite explosion torch light silicosis
Contained in galleries: Phil Clarke Hill - All pics

Potosi is the most famous city in Bolivia for silver and tin mining, Cerro Rico which means rich hill has been used to extract silver for over four hundred years and is still mined today, the conditions are terrible for the workers and silicosis is very coomon, many of the miners are underage and die in accidents, they worship El Tio - the God of the underworld who is said to have an appetite for destruction and needs to be appeased with coca, alcohol and tobacco to keep the miners safe