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, 

 'md 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, 

 although 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 

 (valuing the piaster at is. i\d.) 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 





Marks. 



Marks. 



Dollars. 







2,338,220 



23,000,000 







611,090 



6,240,000 







29,700 



2,060,000 





... 2,200 



481,830 



4,850,000 





. . .20,505 





2,990,000 









4,360,000 





75,217 



3,460,840 



43,500,000 



Valuing the dollar at 4s. 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 to 24.000.000 dollars, or 5,250,000/., and the average exports to 

 22,000,000, or 4,812,500Z. ; but since the revolution the produce has been 

 reduced to 11,000,000 dollars, or 2,406,250/., while the exports in specie 

 have averaged 13,587,052 dollars, or 2,970,198Z. each year. This reduc- 

 tion, it is unnecessary to say, has been caused by the unsettled state of 



