Worst job in the world?
I have travelled a lot in my 40 years on this blue globe; but salt mining by hand on the Salar de Uyuni would perhaps be one of the worst jobs I have seen. How long do you think you would last out there shoveling wet salt by hand at high altitude ? Blistering heat and sun with dry alpine air, salt in your eyes and extreme reflections of the sun , while doing hard manual labour in low oxygen air. Then freezing cold temperatures at night.
The Salar is the world's largest salt flat and sits at 3653m on the Bolivian Altiplano. Bolivian Andes, Bolivia.
If you would like to learn a little bit more about my background in photography you can read the interview @photofeed did with me here.
Robert Downie
Love Life, Love Photography
All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Robert Downie - http://www.robertdowniephotography.com
Ya It looks very tuff job of salt mining.
The mining of any thing is tuff but salt mining is more tuff than anyother
At least one would have a little salt to sprinkle on one's lunch! :)
Wow that would be so hard!
Hmm, I'd say harder than most jobs for sure; Harsh environment and not much respite to be had. A day of this and most wold be spent I think, but these blokes probably go back day after day.
Yep. And if you look at all the little piles in the distance across the lake. The salar is flat and hence floods and the salt is very wet. So they first dig and make little piles, then leave them there for a few days to dry out (although drain is perhaps a better term). Then they drive around and shovel up the dry piles. Day after day; generation after generation. And we buy rocksalt on the shelf at the supermarket for 1$ and think nothing about where it came from.
Now I feel guilty about buying salt at the supermarket. I mean, I thought this exact thing when I saw your post in the first place. A little twist of fate and that could be you and I born there to a life of shovelling salt. I'd be the older one of course, and so would be able to slack off a little. Instead, we're sprinkling it on our eggs without a care for where it came from and how hard someone had to work to get it.
We went to the salt mines in Salzburg, Austria (Hallein Salt Mine) which was really cool. They have vast lakes down there and we took a boat ride across one. Those people worked hard too...They've been mining salt there for 7,000 years and it was amazing to visit. I will do a post about it when I have the time, maybe Saturday.
Kids worked those mines, young kids, and I look at them now whining about having to work at 15...Try being 7 and down a salt mine!
It's a simple photo but one that invoked a few thoughts in this first-world dude's head.
That's what is great about photography.
On another note under that lake is something like 80% of the worlds lithium ion deposits as a salt brine. Which Bolivia is currently holding out on the west's attempt to exploit it (as it's an amazing world heritage area and natural wonder of the world). But if we are going to all drive electric cars is has to come from somewhere. If the Bolivians hold the line and don't exploit it (which I hope they do), then lithium mining will make South Australia very rich.
Oh that's an interesting point and I hadn't thought about it to be honest; We've got a lot of salt lakes here as you know...A rich South Australia would nice...We need something to keep things going. Uranium mining, destroyer projects and military research isn't quite enough. Although, I tend to agree that leaving the land to its own end is better for the planet and I hope that's what happens.
Such a good point.
Until we see a stunning photograph like this from someone like you, we don't eve consider the source or the effort it takes to get it to our supermarket shelves.
So thank you for pointing that out!
Now since I only ever eat Garlic salt, I now wonder how and where that is made...
Damn you've been about. Thought about writing a book? Would definitely buy
Well I try and get out and see the world; and instill a sense of adventure in my kids now I have three of them .
That’s so lovely - proper parent material here
No book; perhaps when I am to old to still be out there ;-)
Ahaha yes no you go live it first!
I've pondered your question, how long would you last, for the last three minutes and have come to the conclusion that that's about two minutes longer than I'd want to be salt-shovelling at The Salar. Having said that, it looks kind of nice in your photo. I'm sure the two lads in the image don't think so though.
P.s. Not a lot to winch off if that truck gets bogged.
Imagine the rust on your truck !
बहुत मुश्किल भरा काम हम आपकी मेहनत को नमन करते है 🙏🙏
आप लोगो की वजह से ही लोग इसका सेवन कर पाते है
About ten minutes maybe x_x
It's so vast and flat.
A stunning photo of an arduous and almost inconceivable occupation in this day and age.
It really goes to show just how lucky we in western countries really are when you see images like this.
So glad that you shared this photo with us.It has certainly made me think about the status quo for so many others around the world toiling away in such an abrasive and unforgiving environment as this!
Yes so lucky
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