The mine was started by Spanish colonists in the 1500s to mine for lead and gold until 1873. It fell into disrepair, and was later used by the Corporacion Minera De Bolivia mining colony beginning in 1973 with an increased priority on lead, silver and zinc. The company later expanded their mining operations to include numerous other ores.
Mining colony
The nearby mining colony located outside of Tatasi was used in the 1800s. Until being abandoned by the workers when the project closed. It housed many workers plus the natives enlisted to help the mine and even contained a Roman Catholic church. The colony was unsafe, with frequent accidents. Despite this, miners enjoyed working there and were satisfied with their work. When the mine was reopened in 1973, the village was not used and was instead kept as a historical artifact. The miners frequently engaged in feasts and festivals to celebrate harvests throughout the summer, with one miner recalling in his journal:
"Thursday, July 31/84... This evening they had a grand procession of candles and other fixings and putting off of fireworks. They were headed by a boy carrying a drum on his back and another beating it. Then they brot out an image of our Saviour in a grand frame and decorated off in splendid style and took it to church. On the tower they had several large candles lit which illuminated the place. They are still beating the drum and putting off powder balls..." Friday, August 1/84... In the evening they lit several large fires in the Plaza and several large ornamental lanterns up in front of the church. Lots of music and dancing, if music it may be called, a drum and some kind of string instrument and some wood whistles... Saturday, Aug 2/84... There was a grand display. The saints were brogt out of the church and fixd on stands made on purpose and trimmed with white muslin. Then the Priest came along and burned incense in front of them with all the people kneeling on the ground. It was a feast for the prosperity of the mines. They had one altar erected in front of the tunnel. All that did not bow in front of the altar were counted heathens."
These festivals were often religious in origin, but the inhabitants of the colony were not often religious, instead preferring to live freely. These festivities, plus the day off given each Sunday for the Sabbath, motivated the miners to continue working.
Materials
The mine was used to extract a number of precious minerals and ores. They were then classified based on the importance to the project by the company.
Commodity
Type
Importance
Lead
Metallic
Primary
Silver
Metallic
Primary
Zinc
Metallic
Primary
Gold
Metallic
Secondary
Antimony
Metallic
Tertiary
Bismuth
Metallic
Tertiary
Copper
Metallic
Tertiary
Tin
Metallic
Tertiary
Contamination
In 2003, traces of lead were discovered in schoolchildren who lived in the nearby village and had dranken from the Tatasi River, which runs by the mine. This was believed to be caused by the mine, which at the time was mining for silver and lead. Because of this, COMNIBOL and the Danish environmental cooperation program invested $654,000 into fixing the canals and waterways in the area to make it safer. The mining and hydrocarbons minister, Jorge Berindoague, officially opened the project, which was designed to make the water safe within five years.
