Potosi

A view down the streets of Potosi looking at the mountains containing the silver

One of the many mine sites

Down in the mine

Trolley and person entrance into the mine

The guys all dressed up and ready for their mining experience

After a 3 ½ hour bus ride we arrived in Potosi, I spent the
afternoon in bed after a morning of a dodgy stomach. Felipe went to explore the
cooperative silver mines. This was the heart of the Spanish economy since the
first mine opened in the 1560s. It was the wealthiest place in South America.
Over the 500 years of mining terrible exploitation of human rights have
occurred with African and indigenous people working the mines under horrendous
conditions. Over the life time of the mines over 7 million people have died.
Today the mines are still active with little safety equipment or
regulations. By the morning Felipe had caught
the bug which I picked up yesterday so it was his turn to spend the morning in
bed while I went to explore the mint where they made Spanish and Bolivian
coins. The mint started making coins in 1573 and finished in 1951 and the
museum tracks the changes in technology. The melting of silver at 960 degrees C
was a stomach churning exhibit as there was nothing to protect you from the
heat or chemicals of the melting process. The silver was cast into flat pieces
before it went for rolling which was powered by four mules rotating in a circle
below the presses. The minting of the coins was done by hand and it is
estimated that 3000 coins were produced each day by this method. It was a
fabulous museum and I thoroughly enjoyed it.