Abstract
Examines why the Jukumani Indians of northern Potosi found it necessary to mine and how peasants and mine owners form, modify and break mineral covenants designed to reduce mining risks. After briefly describing the setting, the first two chapters explain how fuel trading, population growth and the spread of small-scale mining upset the ecosystem and weakened the native economy of the Jukumanis. The author links their involvement in mining to the decline of their subistence base. The next two chapters describe the mining operations themselves and mining agreements, first from the viewpoint of mine owners and then from the viewpoint of peasants. The final chapter moves beyond Bolivia to reappraise the efficiency of peasant mining operations. It argues that artisanal mining ventures are cost-effective, achieve good recovery rates, and do not lead to misuse of the nation's mineral wealth. -from Author