La Rinconada, Peru
| La Rinconada | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 La Rinconada
|
|
| Coordinates: 14°37′57″S 69°26′45″W / 14.6325°S 69.44583°WCoordinates: 14°37′57″S 69°26′45″W / 14.6325°S 69.44583°W | |
| Country |  Peru |
| Region | Puno |
| Province | San Antonio de Putina |
| District | Ananea |
| Elevation | 5,100 m (16,732 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 30,000 |
La Rinconada is a city in the Peruvian Andes located near a gold mine.[1] It is considered to be the highest city in the world.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
The city is located in the Ananea District, San Antonio de Putina Province. It lies at a height of 5,100 m (16,732.28 feet) above sea level.
[edit] Population
The population has grown from the year 2001 to 2009 by 235% to 30,000 inhabitants.[2]
[edit] Economy and Infrastructure
The economy is mainly based on the production of gold in the nearby mine.
Many miners work at the gold mine owned by Corporación Ananea. Under the cachorreo system they work for 30 days without payment. On the 31st day they are allowed to take with them as much ore as they can carry on their shoulders.[2] Whether the ore contains any gold or not is a matter of luck.
[edit] Environmental Problems
The city has no plumbing and no sanitation system.[2] Besides having no sewage system there is significant contamination with mercury due to the mining practices. Local miners will refine the ore by grinding and treating it with mercury and pressing the mass through a cloth to filter it. The resulting amalgam is heated to remove the mercury.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Documentary film shown on www.alternativchannel.tv
