Before the advent of nationalization, mining was the principal resource of the town. From 1985 on, most of the undertakings and workers migrated to the cities in search of work. In the provinces, the Deaguadero River, a tributary of Lake Titicaca, has become contaminated as a result of the mining activity at Hanini and Santa Fe. Consequently, the fertile land has also become contaminated. The great majority of the population works on the land, while a small number of people are employed in a small mineral-processing plant.
Agricultural activity is affected by climatic factors, and the yield is poor.
Farming is organized on the basis of smallholdings, which are insufficient to satisfy the needs of the inhabitants, and there is thus a considerable migration to neighboring areas. The main crops are potatoes, cucumbers, beans and carrots. For specialized consultations, people need to travel to a nearby town. By no means everybody has access to clean drinking water. The arrangements for water treatment are unsatisfactory, and mortality rates are high.