The Path to Gold

A successful search story… fighting the wilderness bushes for almost two hours and the shrubs bothering me no ends… behind a rock I, eventually, heard my Deepers emitting a weak signal, I switched on to hyper frequency (HF) to check out if I had  finally spotted a target; the signal got louder and I was now all but nerves.  I started to remove some rubble, digging up a hole of about 50 cm ( ½ a yard).  Not seeing anything I, once more, went over the hole with the elliptic head, this time the sound was much louder… I was getting near the target… the adrenaline flaring up.  I kept on digging, finally, at about 80 cm (10”), some kind of terra-cotta  lid-top appeared, I unearthed the object, it was a big simple cylindrical pot, I pulled it out of the hole, it was quite heavy, I removed the lid… overwhelmed with joy, I discovered that it was full of gold in small nuggets-like shapeless bits, it was easy to see that the metal had been melted down.  More than 3 kilos(6 lbs 10 oz) in all, it was a fantastic day. I was happy an I will never forget this moment!

For many years the rich mines of Guanajuato, at the center of Mexico, have produced tons over tons of either gold or silver.  The famous   « Valenciana » mine was so rich, that its successive owners of the  16th and 18th century could claim the coveted  title of being the richest men on earth. More than 80% of either gold or silver circulating in Europe was from the Mexican inexhaustible Mexican lodes, in the 17th century the mine shafts were already 300 meters deep and this was done through hard work and without any modern machinery!  Everything was done through manual labor… starting with the digging of cylindrical tunnels (by pick and cold chisel), the actual ore extraction and  its arduous lift up to the surface.  A miner had to load, from 10 to 12 times a day, 50 to 60 kilos (110 to 132 lbs) of rubble and ore through steep and smoky shaft due to oil- lamps’ emanations, the sole source of lighting available in those days.  The ore was then crushed down through a succession of millings, each time finer, until it was treated through decantation, passed through mercury and ultimately fire.  The Valencia mine employed, on its own, hundreds of coolies (peons), poorly remunerated and whose lives expectancy rarely went over 26 to 27 years.  A harassing convict-like job, which would not be allowed nowadays!  

The precious metal, once extracted, was meted down into ingots and stored, awaiting its transport by the  “Camino  Real” (Royal Road) which would go from over mounts from Guanajuato  to San Miguel Allende in order to be routed to Mexico City and, finally, to Vera Cruz to be shipped to Europe via Spanish galleons of the  “plata flota” (Silver Fleet) ; at a later date it would be shipped to the U.S.A instead. Thieveries and lootings were common place, were it to be either at the rich extraction, the whole and lengthy  refining  process or the fine metal transport.  Nevertheless, the “ Bonanza” of the precious metal was so great that the amount of the various organized looting only represented, according to today’s estimations, 10 to 15% of the total, treated metal, bulk-weight.  Mines used to employ many guards and watchmen to keep an eye on this incredible manna, renewed constantly, however these guards and watchmen were, for the most, so corrupted that those who were supposed to track down the thieves only augmented their numbers, this, without mentioning, the hierarchy or management members, who were so well organized that they  subtilized  their “dime” through subtle maneuvers and tricks of any kind. Due to constant inspections, all these ill gotten bounties were hidden in the nearby mountains, alongside the “Camino Real”, where the respective owners could calmly retrieved them and flee, as far as possible, to finally enjoy life, endowed with lots of money. Not to forget the convoys  which were attacked and looted and which cargo was hastily hidden into small lots corresponding to each robber, in the surrounding bushes, alongside this “gold path” nowadays deserted, having been replaced by modern highways going through the valley.  Hundreds of treasures still do exist in those wilderness mounts between Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

At the present, the Valencia Mine is still operating being administered now as a coop.  The mother lode is about 650 meter deep (over 2000 ft) where the ambient temperature tops 55° C degrees (141°F).  Time of active work is: one hour on and two hours off.  The vein being presently exploited yields 57 grams of gold and 7 kilos of silver per ore ton! Just for comparison’s sake, the Salsigne mine of France yields only 4  grams of gold per ton!  Mexico is unequivocally,  still,  the land of treasures and shall remain so for many years to come!

Acknowledgement:  We do thank the Valencia Mine Coop and its present personnel for the cordial welcome they granted the entire Latincom party.

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