Revista Geológica de América Central, 36 Especial: 125-134, 2007 ISSN: 0256-7024 THE GOLD MINES OF COSTA RICA Milton Franklin Reitz Transcrito por: Siegfried Kussmaul Escuela Centroamericana de Geología, Universidad de Costa Rica Documento original tomado de: The Engineering and Mining Journal; August 16, 1902; págs. 210-213 Like the mines of every other part of the writer has spent two years immediately connected world, something have been said and written of with the mines of the country and has personally vi- those in this republic. All connected with the mi- sited the more important properties here mentioned. ning industry know the nature and effect of such Physical conditions notes are given from personal writings. It is a well-known fact that the press knowledge, and are corroborated by reports made throughout the States have given space to reviews at various times by eminent engineers. Statistical of this sort relative to all known mining districts, facts observed are taken from original mint retur- the authenticity of which has not always been ns, assay certificates, and bills of sale now in the without question. This articles in many instances file of the owners of the mines. As there is proba- have been produced by special reporters, who bly no better way of judging the future than by the have spent limited time in their preparation, with past, I have thought it of interest to give some his- the prime purpose of obtaining readable matter, tory, especially with reference to the mines of the and with the result that facts have been sacrificed Aguacate Mountain, for which I am indebted to to give due credit to the legends and traditions met Don Francisco María Yglesias, who, with his father with in all mining communities. before him, have been associated with these proper- The object of this article is to give a correct ties for more than eighty years. It was the gold of idea of the conservative possibilities, if not proba- Monte Aguacate which infused the first symptoms bilities, of the mining industry in Costa Rica. The of vitality into Costa Rican commerce. REITZ, M. F., 1902: The Gold Mines of Costa Rica. -Transcripción de Kussmaul, S., 2007 [del original publicado en The Engineering and Mining Journal, 16: 210-213].- Rev. Geol. Amér. Central, 36 Especial: 125-134. 126 REVISTA GEOLÓGICA DE AMÉRICA CENTRAL COSTA RICA Water The name, meaning “rich coast,” was given This important element is well provided, and to the country by the first Spanish explorers in the supply of pure water is sufficient for all pur- 1512, when they were attracted by the many gol- poses. The mountain streams afford ample power den images worn by the native Indians. Many of and are numerous in the mining districts, so that these gold idols, dug from old burying grounds, immediate or transmissible power is available at are found in the collections made by the pioneers. moderate expense. The collection at the National Museum is valued at about $50,000. Events subsequent to those ear- ly times show the name is an appropriate one. Timber This republic has an area of 34,000 square miles, and a population, according to the census The native woods are well adapted to mi- of 1901, was 311,444. The ports of entry—Puerto ning purposes and abound in sufficient quantity Limon, on the Atlantic, and Puntarenas, on the in most localities to supply this demand for many Pacific, lie on the tenth parallel, which crosses years. The timber requirements can in most of the the higher developed section, the central part of mines be reduced to less than past consumption the republic. These ports have excellent landing by employing modern methods. Cheap power and and shipping facilities, and are both connected labor being available ; good lumber is produced with the interior by railway. at moderate cost. The laws of the country governing mining are liberal and ample. Mining machinery and supplies are admitted free of duty, and full pro- Labor tection is accorded the business. Many of the lea- ding business men of the republic are financially The native labor is good, cheap and steady. interested in the mines. The attitude of the go- The miners are hard-working and intelligent. The vernment has long been especially friendly, and maximum price paid to drill-men in 3 colonies, or the present administration hopes to see the mi- $1.35 gold per day, and ordinary labor is secured ning business develop into a chief industry. The at half the price. peaceful character of the people and the stability As a summary of these facts it is conserva- of the government are facts worthy of particular tive to say that all economic conditions are favo- mention in this connection. urable to profitable operations. ECONOMINC CONDITIONS AFFECTING GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY MINING To treat this subject briefly, suffice it to say Climate that the following conditions will apply with little variation to all of the localities mentioned. The climate in all localities where mines The country rock is of igneous origin ; diorite are now being worked and in all places where and the porphyries are the more common. Large work is contemplated is healthful and pleasant. black boulders conspicuously mark many loca- The general elevation of the mines is about 1,800 lities. It was due to this fact that Los Quemados feet. Observations taken at this elevation at the (which means “the burned”), a village in the inte- Aguacate mines indicate the average temperature rior, was so named. The ores bearing the precious at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature varies metals usually occur in fissure veins, and the gan- but little during all the year. gue consists principally of quartz, clay tale, and Revista Geológica de América Central, 36 Especial: 125-134, 2007 / ISSN: 0256-7024 REITZ: The Gold Mines of Costa Rica 127 porphyry. The values are largely held by crysta- passed, and suggested the probability of gold and lline quartz, which occurs in all its varieties, from silver veins existing in the locality. This disco- the pure white and barren to the highly minerali- very was made on the main ledge of the miner, zed, carrying sulphides of the base metals in va- afterwards denounced as the Sacra Familia. The rying proportions and in rarer cases manganese, place is still marked by a surface-working, made arsenic and antimony. Ores presenting highly re- in the discovery days. A Spanish gentlemen, Don fractory features are rare. The remaining gangue Santos Lombardo, of Cartago, a member of the often carries gold which has been freed from the delegation, took some samples to Cartago, had quartz by aqueous agencies, to which the oxida- them assayed and found them to be rich in gold. tion of the base metals and the crumbling of the Returning in company with two friends, of whom quartz was probably due. The percentage of sil- was Don Rafael Gallegos, second president of ver values in the auriferous ores I have examined Cost Rica, they denounced the mine under the is comparatively small, but, it is said, there are name Sacra Familia (Holy Family). These first some rich silver ores. and the many subsequent discoveries caused much excitement in Costa Rica and prospecting was actively entered into. HISTORY Lost and perilous expeditions, intrigues, per- GOLD MINING ZONE secutions and other causes, especially the marine disaster suffered by the Governor of Costa Rica, The gold mining zone of Costa Rica lies Juan Vazquez de Coronado, occasioned much on the Pacific slope, and comprises three diffe- delay in the development of the first mineral dis- rent districts, viz.: The mines of the Aguacate coveries. This was retarded also by frequent inva- Mountain, Monte de Oro District, and the sions by the Talamancas and other Indian tribes. Abangares District, the locations of which may During two centuries prior to 1815, but four mi- be seen on the accompanying map. neral denouncements are of record, and but two of these are located. The first discovery affecting the principal The Mines of the Aguacate District mines known today was made in the district of the Aguacate Mountain (then called El Torroto) The position, past importance and promi- by the Spanish Bishop Garcia, bishop of Costa sed future of these extensive properties suggest Rica and Nicaragua, while crossing the moun- them for first mention. This district consists of tain over the old trail which connected Cartago, five distinct mines or groups, viz.: The Aguacate the destiny of the bishop on this journey, with mines, the Sacra Familia, Los Castros, Quebrada other important provinces within his dominion. Honde and El Porvenir. They are situated in the The principal residence of the bishop was then mining district of the Aguacate Mountain, in the in Nicaragua, and a visit from him to Costa Rica Province of Alajuela. The Mountain is in latitu- was a notable event. In this particular instance de 10º12´30´´ North, and in longitude 84º28´30´´ more than thirty years had elapsed since the vi- West of Greenwich. The Pacific Railway, now sit of his predecessor, Bishop Tristan, hence, in being completed to connect the capital (San Jose) order to show their appreciation of the event, the with the Pacific Coast, passes within 2 miles of Costaricans sent a delegation of prominent citi- the mines, at the Rio Concepcion. The national zens to accompany him from Esparta to Cartago. cart road, connecting these points, passes the en- On their way through the Aguacate mountains trance to the mines at the post office Desmonte, the bishop, who had some knowledge of ores, ob- which is about 30 miles from the Pacific port and served the outcropping of a vein over which they 35 miles from San Jose.