>Carlos Prieto notes (p. 77)
>"Sufficient mercury was available in Mexico and the success of the patio
>process there was such that by 1562,in Zacatecas alone, thirty-five
>establishments were using this method"....
Horst,
In setting the scene for his work on precious metal production in Europe in
the 18th century Blanchard (Russia's Age of Silver, London, 1989) discusses
the South and Central American mining 'crisis', in which he suggests that by
the 17th century mercury was being rationed in New Spain (Mexico). The
liquid metal had to be imported from Spain as the Peruvian product could not
satisfy demand, with supply controlled by the Spanish Crown. Only those
mines where the amalgamation process was essential and effective were
provided for, other mines relied on smelting / liquation / cupelation as a
means of extracting silver.
On the subject of 'health and safety' in the production and use of mercury,
I suspect the subject will be addressed at the International Symposium on
'Hygiene, occupational health and sociability in mining history' to be held
in conjuction with the Idrija Mercury Mine, Slovenija, 17-21 June 2002. Go
to http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/contents.htm#conferences for more
details.
Peter
______________________________________________
Peter Claughton, Blaenpant Morfil, Rosebush, Clynderwen,
Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. 01437 532578; Fax. 01437 532921; Mobile 07831 427599
University of Exeter - Department of History
School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/mining-history.html for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
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