HISTORY OF THE ZACATECAS MINING DISTRICT

Discovery of silver in the Zacatecas area occurred in 1546.  By 1548, the Spaniards had begun production from three mines; the Albarrada Mine on the Veta Grande vein system, and the San Bernabe Mine and Los Tajos Mine on the Mala Noche vein system.

By the late 1800’s silver from the Zacatecas Mining District accounted for 60% of the value of all Mexican exports making it one of Mexico’s wealthiest and largest districts of the era.

According to Ponce & Clark (1988), the Mexican Geological Survey estimated that approximately 23,236,499 kg (747,076,679 Troy oz) of silver was produced from the Zacatecas Mining District between 1548 and 1987.