Frank's Potosi mine tour

Here's F's account of the tour of the mines at Potosi... Em was ill so stayed in bed watching telenovelas (an equally relevant cultural experience).

We started the tour getting fitted for clothing. Then went to a miners' market and bought dynamite, Ammonium nitrate accelerant and fuses (a bag with one of each is called a Completo, i.e. a hotdog, costing 2 quid), along with other presents for the miners, e.g. fizzy drinks and coca leaves (during their day in the mines they don't eat, just drink and chew coca).
We also tried some of their 96% alcohol, which they drink on Fridays... they spill some on the floor to Pachamama, the earth deity, and some to the devil, and then get super-drunk (one of the biggest reasons for accidents is drunkenly falling down holes!)
They worship the devil (they call him Tio, uncle) as he's underground, and he owns the mountain and all the minerals within it. They need him onside to not cause cave-ins, etc.
We then went to an ore refinery (not worth mentioning here, but interesting in a boffin kind of way), then off to the mine.
We stooped and clambered along the tiny path that is the top level of the mine, most of the time not having head room to stand. This mine is one of the few that have electrical and pneumatic equipment, so often we had to duck even lower, under were dodgy-looking cables and hissing pipes. The floor was often slippery, as wet season has just finished and there's still lots of water around. The dust was amazing - I had a mask, but it still tasted very strong.
The first stop in the mine was a museum, with various exhibits of equipment, statues of Tio, with offerings of cigarettes etc, and information about miners. One was quite stark: 90% of miners do it because there isn't any other work. The dust in the air is silica and asbestos, and most miners die of silicosis... if the cave-ins don't get them first.
We climbed up through a small opening into a cave above the top level with an electric winch. This is where buckets of rocks are hauled up from the lower levels and dumped into a rudimentary hopper above the tiny train. The dust was even worse here, as the two miners there were smashing up rocks. They were remarkably chipper, joking with the guide and with us.
At this point, with the exertion of climbing up and the rarified air I started to hyperventilate, and couldn't control my breathing with the dust and the mask, and the winch was making a constant screech that wired straight into my panic reflexes. So I asked to leave, keeping control, and after an explanation and watching for a bit more, I headed off out of the mine. The rest of the group went on down tiny slippery shafts to 2 more levels, and met miners bashing holes into the rocks to dynamite.
The miner who led me out is studying at university - but works the mines during the holidays to provide for his young child (it's the only job).
For my part I'm glad I left when I did - the lack of oxygen combined with physical exertion and dust, along with slippery and enclosed conditions, made me feel panic like I haven't done for a long time.
While I was waiting I chatted to the bus driver - he told me that dynamite is completely legal in Potosi - even 5 year olds can buy it. He believes this is safer as all miners have dynamite in their houses anyway - making it taboo would cause children to want to play with it. That said there are around 2 non-miner dynamite deaths a year.
After the group got out, we had a demo blast. You'd think that was controlled. Nope... the guides got us to mix up the dynamite, then stuck in the fuse and lit it. They then put the smouldering dynamite in their mouths, and threw it between the groups. Needless to say, I ran a mile - behind the nearest house. After they'd had their fill of play, they ran off and left the dynamite around 50m away. When they went off, my chest shook.
So all in all, a weird experience.