Cerro Rico (also called
Cerro de Potosí,
Quechua Sumaq Urqu) is a mountain in the
Andes near the
Bolivian city of
Potosí. Cerro Rico was famous for providing vast quantities of
silver for Spain during the period of the
New World Spanish Empire. The mountain, which is popularly conceived of as being "made of" silver ore, caused the city of Potosí to become one of the largest cities in the New World. After 1800, the silver mines were depleted, making tin the main product. This eventually led to a slow economic decline. Nevertheless, the mountain continues to be mined for silver to this day. Due to poor worker conditions, such as a lack of protective equipment against the constant inhalation of dust, many of the miners contract
silicosis and have a life expectancy of around 40 years. The mountain is still a significant contributor to the city's economy, employing some 15,000 miners.