gold^ silver^ iron^ and lead. One mine alone has 

 furnished crystallized antimony. _^^ 



The digging- of quicksilver is rigorously pro-^P 

 hibited in consequence of its being a royal mono- 

 poly. It is found in a metallic form^ or mineral- 

 ized with sulphur^ under that of cinnabar. The 

 two richest mines are in the provinces of Coquim- 

 bo and Copiapo, from whence vast quantities 

 might be obtained if it were; permitted to work 

 them, the greater part of wtich would proba- 

 bly be sold in the country itself, as much is re- 

 quired for the amalgamation of the precious 

 metals. The mine of Coquimbo is in one of the 

 midland mountains. The bed of matrix of the 

 quicksilver is a species of brownish clay, or a 

 very brittle black stone; in this the quicksilver 

 is found in great abundance in its natural state, 

 in horizontal veins, occasioiially intersecied by 

 mineralized mercury or cinnabar. Thatof Quil- 

 lota is situated in a very high mountain near hi- 

 mache, and appears to l)C as rich as the former. 

 The quicksihcr is mineralized with sulphur: its 

 matrix is a calcareous stone, ^^hich would serve 

 very v.ell, as an intermediate suhsfaiirc, to retain 

 tlse si;]'^;luir, if the mercury wore lo be separated 

 fiom it by a chemical process. 



SiiCT. Xll. Mclals. The Chilians set little 

 value upon lead mines, although they possess 

 tl:o:^c that are of an excellent ouality. Ni> 



