The copper era., 1909-07-15
The Literature of Mexican Mining.


 Those who are used to the easily available libraries of the United States and the complete and up to- date data therein available on all sub. jects, particularly on the industrial and scientific phases of mining in general, or of special localities, are quite confounded when they go to Mexico and seek to get in touch with needed data from official records or general mining literature. There is data and lots of it, but it is scattered in hundred different books and re- cords, many of which are only to be found in the large libraries of the capital, and the official records are several years behind in the matter of statistics and are glaringly incom- plete and inadequate. The early his tories and general works relating to mining are in many cases inaccurate as to dates and data and are gen. orally insufficient for the purposes for which they are needed. The popular writers, designedly or ignor- antly, have invested each camp with a ready-made history and a halo of production, generally in the millions. They are generally current stories of great bonanzas either extracted by the diligent. Spaniards or left care lessly lying around for some fortunate "gringo" to attach himself to,
 But the earnest engineer or mining man seeking to find reliable informa- tion of the history of his respective mine or district, to get record of the former workings and such prior information as may guide him in re- commenting investment or conduct ing operations, is sorely tried gener- ally in his recourse to the literature of Mexican mining. The conditions in this matter are rapidly bettering now, however. The Institute of Geology of Mexico City (the Mexican Geological Survey) has now issued more than 20 bulletins, complete and competent, although too largely devoted to pure science so far. Bulletin No. IT, just published, con- tains a complete and well arranged bibliog-raphy of geology and mining in Mexico up to 1904. It is arranged by author, with locality and subject indexes and will serve a very useful purpose. The Institute has well planned library in the new and beautiful Institute building, Ga Calle del Cipres, Mexico City. The Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) in Mexico City is moderniz- ing the arrangements of its great collection of books, and many smaller libraries throughout the Republic are now available for research. These are all open to the public and are be- ing largely availed of by the men who are engaged in studying the mining industry of the country.
 The division of statistics of the De partment of Fomento publishes annual statistical reviews of the country's industries and the official statistics, as yet inadequate in many respects, are made public fairly promptly in Fl Diario Official, the publication. Several of the states have commercially under taken to organize statistical bureaus. The most practical and up-to-date data, however, heretofore published is available in the two special editions of The Mining World issued in 1906 and 1907 and which are recognized as the most complete records of the in- dustry available and are much used by engineers and others as guide and text for Mexican mining. The engineers engaged in the Mexican field have been liberal in contributing to the records of Mexican mining and a vast amount of data from competent observers is now to be had from this source. The newly organized Mexican Institute of Mining Engineers and Metallurgists is wisely preparing to a clearing house for data on Mexican mining and expects to have the cooperation of the many capable in the field in this under taking.
 There is prospect that there will, from now on, be an increasingly valuable amount of data on Mexican mining available and the real difficulty under which the mining men have abored in this respect is fast being removed.
 The staff of The Mining World has had occasion to become familiar with the sources of information in Mexico and any inquiries as to general and particular subjects will be willingly as far as possible. e.-Mining World.
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