Bolivia: Mining, River Contamination, and Human Health

摘要: Multiple magmatic intrusions beneath the Eastern Cordillera and folded-thrust belt of Andes Mountains led to widespread mineralization in Bolivia. Mining these ore deposits by Pre-Columbian civilizations dates back at least 2000 BC, but intensive mineral extraction began with discovery subsequent mining silver Cerro Rico Spanish 1545. Silver turned Potosi into one most important cities world, minted had a dramatic influence on both Peruvian European economies. Mining, not only silver, gold, tin, lead, zinc, antimony, among other commodities, has continued be an component Bolivia economy present. An unintended consequence been contamination riverine environments toxic trace metals. The type, magnitude, extent metal as well potential effects human health vary from river river, differ significantly between primarily pristine, humid hyperhumid tropical rainforests north semiarid, heavily impacted, rivers south. Here, adverse regions are explored.