The mountain that ate men to fuel the global economy

History · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For centuries, one mountain provided 80% of the world's silver. But this wealth came at a staggering human cost, creating a legacy of environmental decay and a labor system so brutal it earned the peak a haunting nickname: the mountain that eats men.

Discovered accidentally in 1545 by a Quechua miner named Diego de Huallpa, Cerro Rico became the epicenter of the Spanish Empire's silver extraction. By the 17th century, the mountain had been physically reshaped by massive mountaintop removals to access its riches. From the 16th to the 18th century, it supplied 80% of the global silver supply, making Potosí one of the largest cities in the New World. The extraction relied on brutal forced labor systems. The Spanish initially used 'Repartimiento,' but in 1574, Viceroy Francisco de Toledo reintroduced the 'mita'—a labor draft originally used by the Inca Empire. While African slave labor was avoided due to lower productivity, Native American workers faced horrific conditions. By 1565, as high-grade ores vanished, the Spanish introduced the 'patio process,' using mercury to extract silver from low-grade 'paco' ores. This led to widespread mercury poisoning and silicosis, with some estimates suggesting up to eight million deaths occurred in the mines, though modern historians debate if that figure represents the entire Viceroyalty of Peru. Today, the mountain remains an economic lifeline for Bolivia, employing roughly 15,000 miners. However, the scars of history persist: the summit sinks several centimeters annually, and a 2011 sinkhole required filling with ultra-light cement. In 2014, UNESCO listed the site as endangered due to 'uncontrolled mining operations.' While the current output is primarily tin and zinc, the mountain continues to be a site of both immense cultural heritage and ongoing industrial struggle.

theme-key-case-theme mood-reflective difficulty-3

topics-list claims-list

canvas-type canvas-timeline

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a remote Andean mountain became the engine of the global Spanish Empire
• How one mountain's silver transformed the global economy forever
• How the Inca Empire mastered extreme high-altitude farming without money or a market
• How a fifty-year war over silver forced the Spanish Empire to buy its peace.
• A 10,000-Year-Old Mountain Corridor That Shaped South American History
• Genghis Khan's second son founded a dynasty that lasted until 1930
• The twenty-four days when a California republic briefly existed
• The dead language that Uzbek and Uyghur both call their ancestor
• The bottle gourd may have floated to the Americas on its own
• The Chagos Islanders were expelled to build a military base, then denied their home.
• Japan abolished its outcaste status in 1871, but the stigma survived
• How a regional dynasty of Rajasthan became the legendary Chauhans of Ajmer

More in Early modern · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics