The quote below is from a late 1800's history book that can be read at:
https://archive.org/stream/historyarizonaa00oakgoog/historyarizonaa00oakgoog_djvu.txt
In a sense the title is plausible
enough on its face; but it is somewhat remarkable
that the annals of the province, as recorded, contain no
allusion to Peralta, to the caballero de los Colorados,
or to the Caudal de Hidalgo.
Of mining operations in Arizona, during any portion
of the Spanish or Mexican period, nothing is practi-
cally or definitely known. The records are barely
sufficient to show that a few mines were worked, and
that the country was believed to be rich in silver and
gold. In several districts have been found traces of
these early workings; and these, with traditions aris-
ing from the Planchas de Plata find at Arizona proper
just south of the line, are for the most part
the only
foundation for the many 'lost mines' of which much
has been vaguely written, and more said. I have al-
ready remarked that modern writers have greatly
exaggerated the country's former prosperity in mining
and other industries, and it may be added that they
have as a rule given the wrong date to such prosperity
Pino, in 1812, also notes the
existence of rich deposits of copper, gold, and silver,
of which no use is made; but Pike, in 1807, states
that a copper mine west of the river, in latitude 34°,
yields 20,000 mule-loads of metal annually, while ves-
sels of wrought copper were among the country's ex-
ports. Bartlett tells us that the Santa Rita mine —
really just below 33° — was worked from 1804; and
Prince gives more details, to the effect that the mine
was discovered in 1800 by Lieutenant-colonel Carrisco,
who sold it in 1804 to Francisco Manuel Elguea of
Chihuahua, by whom work was at once begun, 100
mules being constantly employed to transport the
metal to Mexico for use in the mint. 40 I think there
is room for some doubt as to the early working of this
mine, though a beginning was probably made before
1822. Pino says that old silver mines were found
closed up, with the tools inside, and doubtless the
prospect-holes made by the Spaniards before 1680
were thus found occasionally;