Women do not usually work directly in the tunnels because, according to tradition, this could bring bad luck to the mine. Among other things, they work as so-called “pallaqueras”, a position in which they are responsible for presorting the gold-bearing rock. Pallaqueras are organized in cooperatives and share their income among themselves at the end of each month. 

Increasingly, women also hold organizational positions and work as engineers or accountants. In their activities, they serve as strong role models for other women in the region and are often key drivers for the implementation of environmental
protection measures and social standards.