MINES IN THE STATE. 



243 



small population of 3,000 Mulattos, Zambos and a few Mexicans, 

 who are chiefly pearl divers, fishermen and farmers, fully indicates 

 the decline of its commerce and civilization. 



The mountains of the State of Mexico are rich in deposits of pre- 

 cious and base metals. North and north-east of the Valley of 

 Mexico are the mining districts and mines of Real del Monte, Mo- 

 ran, Atotonilco el Chico, Pachuca, El Cardinal, Zimapan, Lomo 

 del Toro, Macroni, Pechuga, and San Jose del Oro. West and 

 south-west of the Valley, are the districts of Rancho del Oro, Te- 

 mascaltepec, Real del Cristo, Sultepec, Zacualpan, Tasco, Tepan- 

 titlan, Tetela del Rio, and several others. These were all diligently 

 worked by the Spaniards prior to the revolution, but have not been 

 found as profitable by the foreigners who undertook their manage- 

 ment since the Independence of Mexico. In the year 1835, num- 

 bers of British subjects and Germans formed companies to work 

 these mines, and although the results have been favorable in some 

 places, the greater part of these luckless enterprises have been alto- 

 gether abandoned. 1 Such has been the sad issue in most of the 

 speculations in silver mines ; but we learn that a native company 

 has explored and w T orked an iron mine at the foot of the Volcano of 

 Popocatepetl, which promises to repay them for their trouble and 

 expense with a plentiful supply of this useful metal. 



1 Muhlenpfordt, vol. 2, p. 294. 



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