Extraction Operations

Mining operations visited included active mines at San José, Itos, Poopó and Kori Chaca, and the closed mine site at Santa Rita. Mining operations visited were conducted by State, private and co-operative mining organisations, as described in the following sections. It was not possible to visit mine sites at Colquiri or Japo due to a combination of dangerous roads and bad weather.

5.3.1. State Extraction Operations

The State organisation COMIBOL continues to administer mining and mineral processing operations across the Altiplano (see Figure 2.2 on page 13). COMIBOL controls all mining activity at Mina Huanuni, while at Mina Poopó, COMIBOL administers production via a combination of private mining companies and mine worker co-operatives.

Mina Huanuni is operated by Empresa Mina Huanuni and is the most significant State operation in the Department of Oruro, with levels of activity, infrastructure and employment significantly greater than that evident elsewhere. The mine extracts cassiterite from multiple levels within the hill Cero Posokoni and processes run of mine in an on-site ingenio. Excess is also sent to Ingenio Machacamarca for processing. It was not safe to view site operations due to the confined nature of the site, high level of activity and access restrictions. However, operations appeared highly mechanised and infrastructure appeared to be reasonably maintained. Interviews with senior management at Mina Huanuni revealed that the 5,000 workers at the site were either State employees or contractors. Few women (including the interviewee) had achieved senior management positions within the company, while a handful of other women worked in administrative roles at the surface, or in support roles inside the mine. The interviewee stated that: “Women working in the mine do not do any drilling or carrying work, but do cleaning, security, and equipment maintenance. Only one is a driller” (interview #8). This was

# Interviewees Mining Sector Workers

1 Palliri, Mina Siglo XX, Llallagua, Potosi (24 March 2011).

2 & 3 Palliris, Mina Santa Rita, Oruro (31 March 2011) – 2 interviews

4 Relaveras alongside the river below Mina Huanuni (31 March 2011).

5 Relaveras alongside the river at Machacamarca (31 March 2011).

6 Mineras, Mina Siglo XX, Llallagua, Potosi (24 March 2011).

7 Mineros, Cooperativa La Salvadora, Mina Itos, Oruro (23 March 2011).

Mining Sector Companies

8 Empresa Mina Huanuni, Oruro (31 March 2011).

9 & 10 URS Corporation, Cochabamba (7 April 2011) – 2 interviews 11 Plant Superintendant, Ingenio Tiwanaku, Poopó (31 March 2011). 12 Ex-COMIBOL senior mining engineer, Oruro (20 March 2011).

13 Empresa SEOMIN (Servicios Operativos Mineros), Oruro (31 March 2011). Government Departments

14 COMIBOL, La Paz (8 April 2011).

15 Viceministerio de Cooperativas, La Paz (8 April 2011).

16 Gobierno Autonomo Departmental de Oruro (28 March 2011). 17 Alcaldia de Oruro (31 March 2011).

Mine Worker Co-operative Representatives 18 FENCOMIN, La Paz (8 April 2011). 19 FEDECOMIN, Oruro (28 March 2011). NGOs

20 CEPROMIN, La Paz (9 April 2011).

21 & 22 CEPA, Oruro (18 March 2011) – 2 interviews 23 CAEP, Huanuni, Oruro (22 March 2011).

24 Red Mujeres y Mineria, Llallagua, Potosi (24 March 2011). 25 EMPLEOMIN, Oruro (30 March 2011).

Academics

26 & 27 Oruro Technical University (27 on 18 March, 28 on 21 March 2011) Table 5.2 Interviews Conducted while in Bolivia Source: Author

consistent with comments received from other interviewees elsewhere, who commented that: ”There are only a handful of Perforistas in the country” and: “I only know of one female driller. She is at

Huanuni.” (interview #20). The small number of women mine workers was surprising given that the

literature review indicated that up to 500 women worked at the mine in 2005 (Trujillo 2005).

The visit to Mina Poopó revealed that COMIBOL had no fixed presence at the site, with all mine workers belonging to either private mining companies or artisanal min worker co-operatives. The deteriorating condition of mine infrastructure at this site was consistent with findings of the literature review and comments from a retired senior COMIBOL engineer who stated: “…lack of investment has been holding back mining in Bolivia for at least a hundred years.” (interview #12).

5.3.2. Private Extraction Operations

The most significant private mining operation in the Department of Oruro is the Kori Chaca gold mine, operated by Inti Raymi SA. Although the site was visited (see Site Visit 10, Appendix F, page 187), permission to access this site or interview management was declined. However, from the perimeter fence it is obvious that this large open cast operation is a highly mechanised, high technology operation, with modern equipment and few employees.

Private operators also provided support services for mining operations. At Mina Poopó, Empresa Sinchi Wayra has installed and operates plant for pumping and ventilation, enabling miners to safely access lower levels of the mine.

5.3.3. Mine Worker Co-operative Extraction Operations

Several mine worker co-operatives were seen to be operating in COMIBOL-owned mines at San José, Itos and Poopó (see site visits 1, 3 and 15 in Appendix F). Surface infrastructure at all these sites was in an advanced state of deterioration, and the co-operatives had installed modern compressors, pumps and crushing plant amongst the ruins of existing mine infrastructure. However, they had done little to repair damage to rail tracks, ore cars, mine openings and non-essential equipment.

The most significant mining activity by cooperativistas was witnessed at Mina Poopó, where several mine worker co-operatives were operating at different levels of the mine, using separate mine openings. Ore was removed from the mine in manually operated ore cars and deposited in a chute for transfer to

an ingenio by truck. At all other artisanal mining operations witnessed, miners brought out small

cars. Miners at Mina Poopó reported that up to five women worked in support roles (Sirenas), but they were not evident at the time of visit.

At Mina Itos, two mine worker co-operatives were operating in ex-COMIBOL workings. Miners working with Cooperativa La Salvadora Ltda. confirmed that of their 213 members, 22 were women. The miners said that women worked underground at Mina Itos and that some were Perforistas, using small Chinese YT25 drills. However, no women were encountered during the field investigation, so this could not be verified. An interesting comment was made by one of the artisanal mine workers interviewed at Mina Itos, which challenged the assumption made by some that Palliris were leaving the waste piles to work in underground roles. He stated that: “None of the women miners had worked as Palliris before” (interview #7), indicating that women mine workers in underground roles were joining the sector without prior experience.

Five mine worker co-operatives were found to be operating at Mina San José, again using mine entrances abandoned by COMIBOL. The co-operatives had installed new compressors, although it was not possible to determine how the co-operatives agreed to install and fund this shared plant. Of the 1,000 mine workers registered with FEDECOMIN in these co-operatives, 15 were reported to be women. One interesting observation from the site visits was that, in marked contrast to the malnourished miners that have been reported throughout much of the history of mining in Bolivia, the artisanal mine workers encountered appeared well nourished, and in some cases, overweight. This change correlates well with statistics that suggest living standards, life expectancy and incomes in Bolivia have increased markedly in recent years.

Growing female influence in mine worker co-operatives was a recurring theme encountered during the fieldwork interviews. The Director of CEPROMIN stated that: “The first mine worker co-operatives were only for men.” (interview #20), while the Assessora of the Red Mujeres y Mineria indicated that women are now more integrated into mine worker co-operatives, and are even evolving their own ways of working within their organisations: “Although male miners in co-operatives do not like women working in the mines, most accept that they do not have an alternative and that they are desperate to earn a living”; “Some women mine workers also have positions of authority at both local and regional level, and some head their co-operatives.” and “Women mine workers tend to sell their mineral to Commercializadoras, and divide their income equally, although drillers earn a premium. Male mine

workers sell their mineral via the co-operative and split their income according to miner skill and experience.” (interview #24).