the miners of potosi

highest city in the world, i could barely take in enough air for one lung.

not a startling city in my experience, huge markets, beautiful food but potosi was once a rich city, famous for its silver mines.

we crawled in, pasting ourselves to the slimy walls to let carts of minerals out. the miners/workers, ranging from 11 to 60 years old, work a minimum of 6hours, 6 days a week in the mine earninga fixed salary of next to nothing or a cut of what they mine.

sometimes they chip away at the arches of rock that support the tunnels they are working in if they're are not getting good results elsewhere to earn enough.

all day they dont eat, believing its bad luck within the mines. instead they chew coca, smoke and drink 96% alcohol, praying at all times to the devil for good luck and safety.

the greatest cause of death in the mines is falling drunk down shafts and there is no belief in safety precautions, for us included.

after 10years many are left with 20% lung capacity and when retired must move to lower lands as they cannot stay adjusted to the altitude.

we attempted to pull tons of minerals up the 15metre shafts, i nearly managed send myself down the shaft instead.

there's a mixture of pride, complacency and hoplessness within the mines but mostly a lack of knowledge of any alternative