Restless Earth Case Study - The Andes

Question 1

Farming in the Andes

Answer 1

• Subsistence farming using terraces (e.g. Bolivia)
• Llamas used to access inhospitable and remote areas and transport resources
• > can carry 25% of body weight (approx 125-200kg)
• > females used for meat, milk and wool

Question 2

Mining in the Andes

Answer 2

• Top 10 for tin (Peru and Bolivia), nickel (Colombia), silver (Peru and Chile), gold (Peru)
• > accounts for more than 50% of Peruvian exports
• Yanacocha gold mine is an open pit mined using dynamite. It is 49% owned by a Peruvian company and 51% by a US company
• Nearby town of Cajamarca has grown from 30,000 (when mine began) to 300,000 in 2010

Question 3

Hydroelectric power in the Andes

Answer 3

• Steep slopes and narrow valleys can be easily damned and relief encourages rapid fall of water to help generate electricity
• 2009 El Platanal HEP plant began and the $200 million project is the second largest in Peru

Question 4

Tourism in the Andes

Answer 4

• Many natural attractions, such as volcanoes, mountains, glaciers and lakes
• Inca trail combines the natural attractions and the inca settlements

Question 5

Facts about the Andes themselves

Answer 5

• Young fold mountains formed 65 million years ago

- 7000km long, 300km wide, 4000m high