Regional Impact of Mining Activity During Colonial Times in the Highlands of Southern Bolivia

Abstract

The Lípez Altiplano is an arid and cold highland desert, where population density was always low and there was no urbanization. Pre-Hispanic, the regional distribution of the population was related to the environment: the majority was concentrated where quinoa agriculture was possible. Following the Spanish conquest, however, mining activity allowed an unprecedented demographic development in those highlands. In this study, I analyze the consequences of mining activities on demography and socio-economic activities in Lípez, before, during and after the apogee of its most important colonial mine, San Antonio del Nuevo Mundo.