THE PALIDAN-SLIDE MINE 



By V. E. Lednicky 

 (From the Division of Mines, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



In this day of scientific and economical mining a small mine 

 is usually of little interest to the general public unless it has 

 some unique or unusual features. The Palidan-slide mine is 

 such a one. While actual mining in it is limited to small veins 

 and shallow holes, it is unusual enough to be of interest to mining 

 men or chance visitors who have the opportunity of seeing it. 



In nearly all Spanish colonies are found remains of mining 

 operations which distinctly bear the mark of the early settlers, 

 but it is very seldom that a place is found where the Spaniards 

 have allowed the use of old Indian methods without effecting 

 changes. One of these places is in the mountainous regions of 

 the Philippine Islands where the methods at present employed 

 are known to have been used for at least five generations by the 

 natives. The Spanish crown possessed the Islands for several 

 hundred years, but it was not until 1850 that the first exploring 

 expedition went into the land of the wild peoples "of a savage 

 and ferocious character" to examine the wondrous copper deposits 

 of the mountain region. A complete narrative of the trip has 

 been translated by H. D. McCaskey ^ and is included in the 

 description of the Mancayan-Suyoc region. No mention was 

 made at that time of the gold workings by the Igorots, although 

 gold ornaments and amulets were reported as being worn by 

 the savages. Owing to the inaccessibility of the mines and the 

 supposed danger from the inhabitants, the Spaniards stayed away 

 from the northern mining district until 1865. As they were 

 mainly interested at the time in the Mancayan copper, they 

 ignored the gold mines, and the first reports of their entering 

 Suyoc came some years later. 



HISTORY 



A brief history of the Palidan working was obtained through 

 Mr. Charles Ambas, of Suyoc, who interrogated the natives. 

 No definite dates were obtainable, as the Igorots divide their 

 time vaguely into generations. 



' A preliminary reconnoissance of the Mancayan-Suyoc mineral region, 

 Bull. P. I. Min. Bur. (1905), No. 4, 15-19. 



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