1872.] Copper Mines of Chili. 171 
There are, with a general direction of north-east and 
south-west, six lodes, only one of which, however, gives 
importance to the mnerale. This is the Veta Principal. It 
forms the very crest of the hill of Carrizal, and then extends 
across the valley to the south-west, after which its direction 
is somewhat altered. Onthe hill it is wide, though broken, 
and there occur the richest mines. In the valley to the 
south-west it is narrower and more compact, yet yields well; 
but to the north-east, after the highest crest of the hill is 
passed, the mines are not producing profitably. On this 
lode there are 16 setts, yielding monthly about 4000 tons of 
I3 per cent ore; but most of this comes from six mines, the 
Mondaca, Remolinos, Portazuela or Bazanillo Alto, Toro, 
Cantado, and Santa Rita, all adjoining and situated on the 
crest of the hill or on its slope towards the valley. 
To the north are two other lodes—the Veta del Agua 
and the Veta Malakoff, on both of which setts have been 
taken, though the lodes are unproduC¢tive, and shafts are 
being sunk by owners of mines on the Veta Principal 
in order to secure that lode in depth; another instance, in 
addition to that afforded by the Urmenita adit at Tomaya, 
of the detriment the law does to mining by involving the 
miner in useless expense in order to secure the permanency 
of his mine. The shafts being sunk to the north of the 
Mondaca mine should strike the Veta Principal—the 
nearer, the Margerita shaft, at 130 fathoms; the further, 
the Sebastopol shaft, at 165 fathoms. Unless these shafts 
strike good ore, showing that the run of poor ground now 
existing in the lower levels of the principal mines on 
the Veta Principal is local and partial, the minerale will 
rapidly decline, for none of the other veins show signs of 
great productiveness. 
To the south of the Veta Principal and near at hand isa 
small lode, the Veta Santa Rosa, probably only a branch of 
the Veta Principal. 
Then at a considerable distance on the southern slope of 
the hill are the Veta Greusa, and at its base the Veta 
Lachos. On the former ten setts have been secured, which 
yield perhaps 100 tons a month of 13 per cent ore, but only 
one is covering expenses; on the latter the same number of 
mines are being worked, and two only are returning profits. 
The Veta de Verdiones, furthest to the south, is like the 
Veta Malakoff, large but unproductive. 
The deepest workings are in the Portazuela Mine, whose 
shaft has reached a depth of 270 fathoms on the inclination 
of the lode, but the most productive mine is the Mondaca. 
