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The dynamite fuse had been lit. In a few minutes, it would blow. I was running away, on the lookout for the 2-ton wagons that came barrelling down the narrow tunnels with a couple of miners clinging to the back, trying to control the deadly contraptions. Crushed and severed limbs were common. Wait, there is more: toxic gases, 18th century tools and mining techniques, 60 degrees temperature difference between the lower and upper levels, 8 to 12-hour shifts… I can say that I’ve experienced hell, once. These men endure it every single day of their lives, which are—unsurprisingly—short. | ||
-Yannick |
If you’d like to see what it was actually like, here’s a short 11 minute film I made:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgOOYAy-abE
Thanks for the vid! interesting stuff. ironic that they extract all these precious metals, but dont bother to upgrade mining equipment which would improve both the amount of metals extracted and life expectancy…
Unfortunately, they actually don’t extract that much anymore, the mountain has been mined for hundreds of years…it’s a lot of work for very little…And it’s all cooperatives, they simply sell whatever they extract that day and divide it amongst themselves. So if on a given day they don’t extract much, they can barely buy the food they need to eat that day…