In northern Bolivia, on the river Tipuani, among the mountain rocks, goldmines were once very rich. The foreign mining enterprises abandoned these places, but local miners, gathered in co-operatives, have been continuing to work there. As gold price felt down during the 90s, their earnings today are poor. Hence the co-operatives try to spare money on everything: miners’ salaries and security measures. As a result, the number of accidents increases, with an average of 30 deaths per year. Severe bone diseases hit women and children who work on the river looking for gold. The hard work continues all the year, with no interruptions: only on the occasion of the Anniversary of the National Independence people do not work. During these three days, their problems seem to disappear, but then the daily routine begins again. The river Tipuani keeps on eroding mountain rocks, as well as people’s health and hope. Today Chima, one of the two villages of the documentary, does not exist anymore. On March 30th 2003 an enormous landslide destroyed most of miners’ houses. A lot of men escaped the tragedy because they were working in the mine, but many women and children did not survive. Most of people you see in this documentary are tragically dead: only these sad images witness their existence.