344 GOLD AND SILVER OF AMERICA. 



mixed with silver-ore, in most of those which have 

 been wrought in Mexico. 



The silver supplied by the Mexican veins is ex- 

 tracted from a great variety of minerals. Most of it 

 is obtained from sulphuretted silver, arsenical gray- 

 copper, muriate of silver, prismatic black silver-ore, 

 ind red silver-ore. Pure or native silver is of com- 

 paratively rare occurrence. 



Copper, tin, iron, lead, and mercury are also pro- 

 cured in New,Spain, but in very small quantities, 

 altliough it would appear that they might be found 

 to a great extent. The mercury occurs in various 

 deposites, in beds, in secondary formations, and in 

 veins traversing porphyries ; but the amount ob- 

 tained has never been sufficient for the process of 

 amalgamation. 



The total value of gold and silver extracted from 

 the mines of America, between 1499 and 1803, is 

 estimated by Humboldt at 5,706,700,000 piasters, or 

 (valuingthe piaster at 45.4i(^.) 1,248,340,625/. sterling. 



The annual produce of the mines of the New 

 World, at the beginning of the present century, is 

 estimated as follows : — 



Gold Silver Value in 



Muks. Marks. Dillxrs. 



New-Spain 7,000 2,338,220 23,0(X),000 



Peru 3,400 011,090 6,240,000 



Chili 12,212 20,700 2,060,000 



Buenos Ayres 2,200 481,830 4,850,000 



New-Grenada 20.505 . . . 2,990,000 



Brazil 29,900 . . . 4,300,000 



75,217 3,460,840 43,500,000 



Valuing the dollar at is. 3d., the total annual produce 

 would be 9,243,750/.* 



* According to Mr. Ward (Mexico in 1827, vol. ii. p. 38^, the annual 

 average produce of the Mexican mines, before the revolution in 1810, 

 amounted lo 24.000.000 dollars, or 5,250,00(1/ , and the average exports to 

 22,000,000, or 4,S12.500Z ; but siiice the revolution the produce has been 

 reduced to 11,000,000 dollars, or 2,406.250/., whde the exports in specie 

 have averaged 13,587,052 dollars, or 2,970,19,8/. each year. This reduc- 

 tion, it is unnecessary to say, has been causud by the uuiiettled state of. 



