January 8th, 2008 by Farmer Dave
"Only 5 tourists have ever died on the tour"
Potosi was once the richest city in all of the colonial Americas. In it's heyday, it's neighboring silver mine produced most of the world's silver and the town flourished from it. Today, many types of ore were mined, and the working conditions were horrible. Tight constricted spaces, low oxygen levels and asbestos growing naturally from the roof of the mine result in a life expectancy of an average miner to be only 40-45.
Children who work in the mine have only a life expectancy of 30.
The 130$ USD per month they make ( over 3 times the average wage in Potosi ) is enough to entice thousand of miners into the mine every day.
To check it out, I booked myself on a mine tour. Calling it a tour gives one a sense of safety, but this wasn't a regular tour.
"We have only ever lost 5 tourists in the mine" the man selling me the tickets explained.
The mine was in a fragile state. Cave-ins happened from time to time and tourists had died in the past.
When the morning came, I headed out. First we geared up with hard hats, head lamps, boots, rubber jackets and rubber pants.