1872.] Copper Mines of Chili. 181 
central and northern Chili, either at the mines themselves 
or at the nearest ports. The following are approximately 
the number of furnaces running regulus in the several 
districts :— 
Lota 
Catemo ay eee 
Cerillos and Tongoi 
Guayacan. 
Edwards . 
Brillador . 
Panulcillo 
Higuera 
Copiapo 
Pena Blanca 
Carrizal 
Chanaral . 
Pan de Azucar . 
Tocopillo . 
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This number tallies with that obtained by estimating the 
number of furnaces from the work done. There were 
produced from January to July, 1871, in bars regulus 
410,679 quintals of fine copper, which would represent about 
876,111 quintals of 50 per cent regulus. Asa furnace smelts 
about 300 quintals of Io per cent ore into, say, 55 quintals of 50 
per cent regulus daily, it would require eighty-seven furnaces 
running constantly to furnish the quantity above stated. 
The proportion of coal consumed to ore smelted in making 
regulus is, at Panulcillo, in the reverberatories as I to 3°5; 
at Guayacan as I to 2°8; at the Compania as I to 2°6; and 
at Carrizal as I to 2°6. The coal principally used is the 
Chili coal of Lota and Coronel, whose smelting value is 
about one-seventh less than that of English smelting coal. 
At Caldera, the port of Copiapé, there is a smelting estab- 
lishment in operation, and two up the river, one at Punta 
del Cobre and another at Nantoko, at both of which oxidised 
ores of 18 per cent are run into 62 per cent regulus; and 
argentiferous and auriferous regulus are made by smelting 
copper ores with the poorer class of silver and gold ores, and 
even gold tailings. 
At Guayacan the operations are as follows :—A mixture is 
made of 15 per cent ore. Sufficient carbonates can gene- 
rally be had to avoid the necessity of calcining any of the 
sulphuret. This mixture is run into a 50 per cent regulus. 
