page_title: History of Honduras
section_title: Colonial mining operations
hierarchical_section_title: History of Honduras / Colonial Honduras / Colonial mining operations
caption_attribution_description: English: François l'Olonnais from "De Americaensche Zeerovers"Nederlands: FRANCOIS LOLONOIS. gebooren in Olonne in Vranckrÿck Generaal van de Franse Roovers in Tortuga
context_page_description: Honduras was already occupied by many indigenous peoples when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. The western-central part of Honduras was inhabited by the Lencas, the central north coast by the Tol, the area east and west of Trujillo by the Pech, the Maya and Sumo. These autonomous groups maintained commercial relationships with each other and with other populations as distant as Panama and Mexico.
context_section_description: The first mining centers were located near the Guatemalan border, around Gracias. In 1538 these mines produced significant quantities of gold. In the early 1540s, the center for mining shifted eastward to the Río Guayape Valley, and silver joined gold as a major product. This change contributed to the rapid decline of Gracias and the rise of Comayagua as the center of colonial Honduras. The demand for labor also led to further revolts and accelerated the decimation of the native population. As a result, African slavery was introduced into Honduras, and by 1545 the province may have had as many as 2,000 slaves. Other gold deposits were found near San Pedro Sula and the port of Trujillo.
  Mining production began to decline in 1560, and thus the importance of Honduras. In early 1569, new silver discoveries briefly revived the economy, which led to the founding of Tegucigalpa, which soon began to rival Comayagua as the most important city of the province. The silver boom peaked in 1584, and economic depression returned shortly thereafter. Honduran mining efforts were hampered by lack of capital and labor, and by difficult terrain. Mercury, vital for the production of silver, was scarce, besides the neglect of officials.
caption: European pirates burned Honduran towns during the colonial era
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