Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/352

336 and Metales Comunes. Pepena is lead ore, which glitters, containing from eight to ten ounces of silver per carga. Quajado is dull lead ore, but as rich as the Pepena. Arenillos, earth sifted, and containing some particles of lead and silver, about one ounce to the carga. Metales Comunes, earth, or refuse from the mine, without any metallic particles, but used in smelting. Even this sells at Zimapan for one dollar the mule load. The Pepena is worth fifteen and a half dollars per carga, or five reals per arroba. The costs of extraction, however, leave the Company at present but little profit. The mine has been worked from time immemorial, by Buscones, who search for ore wherever they please, and deliver it at the mouth of the shaft at a certain price. Owing to this total want of system, the mountain has been excavated to an enormous extent, and the lower workings are now so distant, and so difficult of access, that the price paid for each arroba brought up by the Buscones, is two reals and a half, or one half the market price of the ore; in addition to which the Company defray all the expences of mining tools, candles, and powder, and keep an English miner to superintend the works. It is now very difficult to apply a remedy to this evil, as the side of the mountain is so very precipitous, that to effect a communication with the lower workings, by driving a level some hundred feet below the present entrance to the mine, would be useless, unless the ores could be raised to the summit by a small steam-engine.