Heavy Metal Mines, Bolivia

The Center for Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds at the Civil Engineering Department (CREW) at the University of Oklahoma is partnering with EIA to research and do a test run on using a ‘wetlands’ system for cleaning up the waste water which flows out of heavy metal mines in Bolivia.

This contaminated water is unfit for human consumption, but is still often used for irrigation and for watering domestic animals.

The passive treatment systems developed by CREW rely on naturally occurring ecosystem processes to improve water quality.  The eventual goal is to help clean up the waters coming from the famed Cerro Rico mines near Potosi.

These mines provided most of the silver for the Spanish in the 16th century (famously stolen by pirates in the Caribbean), as well as tin, lead, zinc and other metals. 

The first large passive treatment project will probably involve one full-time EIA engineer to be on site for management and maintenance purposes within the next few years.

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Your skills can change lives in indigenous communities. If your Engineers Without Borders group would like to design and construct a project in Bolivia, contact us. We can connect you with community needs and provide project support during your stay in Bolivia.

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