COROCORO COPPED DISTRICT OF BOLIVIA 5 



freight was even more cumbersome. The copper concen- 

 trates were packed on llamas and donkeys or carted frorh 

 Corocoro to Nazacara on the Rio Desaguadero, a distance 

 of 45 km. Low-draft river steamers or barges of 100 tons 

 capacity carried the product a distance of 65 km. to Guaqui, 

 the Bolivian port on Lake Titaeaca, where it was trans- 

 shipped to the lake steamers and transported to Puno, the 

 port on the Peruvian side of the lake. Here it was trans- 

 ferred to the railroad and taken to the coast at Mollendo. 

 Two more handlings were required to place the concentrates 

 on the barges and from them on the ocean vessels which 

 carried it to Europe or the United States. The freight 

 charges from Corocoro to aboard ship at Mollendo amount- 

 ed to over i 3 per ton. The Arica-La Paz Railroad, which 

 was placed in operation in 1912, passes within a few kilo- 

 meters of Corocoro and a branch line, 6 km. in length, from 

 Tarejra has been constructed to the very doors of the con- 

 centrating mills. Concentrates are now transported by a 

 direct rail route of 340 km. from Corocoro to the coast at 

 Arica at a rate of a little over i. The effect of these 

 greatly improved, transportation facilities upon the develop- 

 ment of the district has been described. 



The climate of Corocoro is ideal. Owing to its high 

 altitude radiation is rapid. The nights are always cold and 

 during most of the year ice forms. The days of sunshine 

 are delightfully warm. However, violent wind storms are 

 frequent in the afternoon, often accompanied by snow or 

 sleet squalls. Light snows or rains are frequent in summer. 

 In other words, climatic conditions are those of a semi-arid 

 climate at high altitude. The discomforts that one experi- 

 ences in living there are due wholly to the lack of fuel and 

 modern habitations. Owing to the dryness of the climate 

 and the nature o>f the surficial geologic formations, the 

 vicinity of Corocoro is almost devoid of vegetation, giving 

 to its surroundings a bleak and desolate aspect. 



