Warunki pracy w boliwijskiej kopalni srebra

EXCLUSIVE: **NO NEW YORK POST OR NEWS CORP USAGES** Story from Jam Press (Bolivian Mines) Pictured: The entrance to the mine. Fascinating images show what life is like in the depths of dangerous silver mines where EIGHT MILLION people have died Fascinating images have been released that show what life is really like in the depths of dangerous silver mines ??" where eight million people are believed to have died underground. The shots reveal the treacherous conditions that miners have to work with every day at Cerro Rico mountain near the town of Potosi, Bolivia ??" nicknamed the ???mountain that eats men??? for its deadly history. In a series of images taken at 4,303 metres inside the mine, workers can be seen squeezing through narrow gaps in the ill-lit tunnels with just a torch attached to their helmets to help guide them. The perilous journey is undertaken while pushing large metal crates to store the mined materials in. In what appears to be a changing area above the mines, the workers clothes and hats are draped around a small room ??" likely waiting for them to change into after work. In another shot, a man-made wooden structure can be seen with decorative colourful flags tied around it ??" the only sign of the cultural town nearby. A different photo from the same area shows a group of workers in their home clothes sitting and chatting as they enjoy a much-needed break. A particularly harrowing photograph features the entrance to the mine ??" a narrow opening leading into ominous darkness, with a track on the floor to help guide the crates. Some of the miners have masks covering their nose and mouths to avoid inhaling dust and dirt, and can be seen covered in grime and sweat. In one shot, a man can be seen pushing a large yellow crate along a narrow track propped up on wooden stilts, sweat pouring down his back from the exertion. In another photo taken inside the mines, there is an effigy of El Tio, a devil-like spirit believed in the area to be the ???Lord of the Underworld???. The figure is red with colourful ribbons to resemble hair and offerings at its feet such as coca leaves, cigarettes and alcohol, as is tradition. El Tio is believed to rule over the mines, simultaneously offering protection and destruction. Miners bring the statue offerings and believe that if El Tio is not fed, he will take matters into his own hands. The fascinating images were shot by photographer Marco Giovanelli, 39, from Italy. The photographer ventured down into the mines in October 2019 after watching a documentary about them and wanting to experience the conditions for himself. Marco says being in the mines felt like he had been ??scatapulted 80 years into the past???. ??sThe safety conditions are very low and dangers can be around the corner,??? Marco told Jam Press. ??sThe tunnels to go deeper are very narrow and precarious. ??sThere is no air due to the altitude and the poor recirculation and the tremoring of the walls due to the explosion of dynamites is scary.??? The main concern when down in the mine is that it can collapse at any time. Before his descent, Marco was fitted with a helmet with a light attached, a suit and boots to avoid getting dirty. Once inside, the danger is apparent immediately, with one wrong step resulting in potential injury ??" or death. He said: ??sYou have to be careful where to put your feet because there are tens and tens of metres-deep holes in the main tunnels that connect the various layers of the mine. ??sThe miners work from 10-18 hours, risking death every day. ??sIn these poor countries, every job is done with pride and the people who work there show it, breaking their backs every day ??" even knowing they don???t have a long life expectancy because they generally fall sick.??? Marco said many of the miners drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and pray to endure the hard work. The Andes mountain is famous for providing vast quantities of silver for Spain during the period of the New World Spanish Empire. The conditions labourers were forced to work under at the time gained the mountain its foreboding nickname, but Marco???s images show that even today the conditions haven???t improved much. It is believed that eight million people have died in the mines of Potosi ??" most of them either natives or African slaves who were trapped underground for six months at a time, working 20 hours a day. ENDS Pictured: GV,General View World Rights, No Australia Rights, No Russia Rights, No United Kingdom Rights