ruins and
the heaps of rubbish manifest that in other times there was much
activity in the labor of the mines and haciendas for separating the
metals; but to-day there are only in existence some furnaces, which are
the least costly, which the miners of Coahuila can use for their
metals. This they effect generally in ovens, and in _galemes_ in the
open plain. But this method of separating the metals, which Coahuilans
have been necessitated to adopt as the least expensive, until
quicksilver has notably fallen in price, has not remained stationary,
as in other parts of the republic. These simple inhabitants have
succeeded, by the force of experiments, in obtaining as a result the
power of fusing 25 cargas [of 300 pounds] of metal, with the
aggregation of 18 cargas of _greta_, in only one furnace and in the
space of twenty-four hours, by consuming only 45 pounds of coal for
each carga of metal.

There are three companies in that state for working the mines in the
mineral district of Ramirez, and another in that of Trinudco. There is
no notice of the amount of funds employed, but it is presumed that they
are not considerable, by considering the smallness of the fortunes of
the inhabitants of the frontier.

In government and economy of mines the Assembly of Mineria of the
valley of Santa Rosa have jurisdiction, but in litigations the judges
of first instance have jurisdiction, to whom a particular law of this
state gives authority.

In Coahuila, besides silver, there is found virgin iron in masses of
considerable volume and of extraordinary value in the Sierra of
Mercudo, in Guadalupe, and other points.

There is copper in Putula or Rios and in Guadalupe. In these mineral
districts we also encounter lead. _Amianto_ (incombustible crystal)
also abounds in Niezca and in the vicinity of Monclova, as also nitre
in San Blas, jurisdiction of San Buonaventura. In the hills of Gizedo,
correspondent to the district of Santa Rosa, are extracted sulphur and
copperas.

It is difficult to ascertain and to mention all the causes which have
led to the decadence of the mineral industry of this state, because the
reports which the authorities have remitted do not state it exactly;
but there is no doubt that they are two, viz., the want of security
occasioned by the frequent incursions of the barbarians, and the little
affection which the agricultural people that occupy that state have for
mining enterprises; that, as already said, the