Arizona republican., 1903-06-29
MEXICAN MINES
A Phoenix Experts Visit TO Guerrero
and Michoacan


of weeks examining mining properties /
in the states of Guerrero and Michoa-
can in Old Mexico Returning via the !
City of Mexico, he was int srviewed
by representative of the Mexican
Herald, which mentioned his trip as
follows:
Mr.. Deity is one of the very few
mining engineers who have ventured
into Michoacan and Guerrero at this
particular season of the year, when the
heavy rains make travel so difficult |
In relating his experiences he de-
scribed the conditions of the regular
routes of travel in the two states as
being so extremely bad that il is al
most impossible to secure guides to go
over them. While he was on his Jour
ney three of his guides turned back on
the trails
"As yet the rainy season has but
begun" says Mr.. Deity but the rains
have been exceptionally heavy. All
travel in the country is done over the
trails, the roads existing in name only.
II is simply impossible to go through
the country at the present time I'm
til next October very little will be
done in the state of Guerrero. Until
that time l will stay in the state of
Sonora and will then return to Mexico
City.
Il consider the prospects Of both
| Guerrero and Michoocan will be good
Progress is being kept back, however,
by the owners of mines who are I'M
able to make the necessary develop
ments themselves and will not dispose
of their properties to those who can
make the developments at reasonable
prices. The mine owners of Guerrero
have q superstition that old mines
command the higher prices Some of
these mine owners look upon an old
, mine as upon a painting or other work
of art valuing it according to it's age.
The prices are increased in accordance
with the length of the history of
the mines. 1t is not considered by
the Guerrero mine owners that it is
not the policy in these days to buy
mines because of the histories con-
nected with them. If history could be
treated in mill or smelter so as to
yield bullion there is no doubt that
there would be great influx of capital
into Guerrero since nearly all the
mines in the state have interesting his
I tories. While the mines of Guerrero
( are among the best in the republic the
prices set upon them must come more
/ within the bounds Of reason to induce
capital to invest as extensively as II IL
DESTROYS of doing.
] Economic conditions are bad in the
states Of Guerrero and Michoacan.
with the exception of the Tlalpujahua
district in the latter state There
have been no extensive developments
in either of the states and there will
be none until roads are built so that
machinerys can be shipped TO the mines
at small cost The cost of the con-
struction of roads will be very great,
I indeed. what might be called enormous.
and for this reason principally capital
! will require better inducements than
those now effected to undertake the
! development of the mineral resources
on the scale required to bring about
. the best results At present develop
ment is very slow in both states. There
are no mines explored to great depth
and very few are worked below water
level. In the olden days work was sus-
/ pended in the mines Of Guerrero and
Michoacan as soon as water was struck
! and in most cases as soon as sulphidc
ores were encountered, for the reason
that the miners of those days did nos
Z know how to handle water or to treat
I refractory ores. 1t is a question as to
! whether or not the mines can be made
to yield TO modern methods of opera
ton in order that they may be de-
/ sirable for investors. All the mines
that can be operated by modern meth
DDS will be readily acquired by Amer
I lean companies: One of the most i'm
portant points in this connection is
! accessibility. If railroads can be built
/ at reasonable cost, then there will be
an influx of capital at an early date
/ that will bring the country to a front
with squirt. But the two states are
| very rough and therefore do not at
tract railroads.
1.-The mines that ! visited in Guerrero
! are copper and quicksilver. I found
that there are very many deposits of
| quicksilver ores all over the state, but
! it is hard to determine their extent
and value at present The mines which
/ have reported upon are located about
thirty miles south of Iguala I consider
the state to be the richest in the re-
| public as far as quicksilver is con-
! cerned. 1t is also very rich in copper.
In fact. il has remarkable abundance
of the red metal and with proper de-
Velopment it will take its place among
the leading copper producing countries
of the world OF course the introduc-
ton of railroads is one of the first
4 steps in the development of th region
i WhiIe tie Improvement Of the presenc
routes of travel as well as the construc-
tor Gf roads is an absolute necessity
for the mining interests of the present
time"