Zenith of Potosí Silver Mining

Name: Zenith of Potosí Silver Mining
Start: 1601
End: 1610

Type Event Region South America Time 1601–1610

In the early 17th century, output at Potosí's 'Rich Mountain' (Cerro Rico) in Bolivia reached its historic peak, becoming the core source of Spanish …

Timeline

1601–1605Cerro Rico · PotosíPotosí's mines were excavated ever deeper, with thousands of Indian laborers working around the clock in shifts under the mita system and wage labor. Silver ore output kept climbing, and the city's population and supporting smelting workshops expanded in step.
1605–1610Potosí Royal Mint and trade routes · AndesMercury was transported from Huancavelica in Peru to Potosí for amalgamation refining; finished silver ingots were carried overland to Arica, then shipped by sea to Panama and Spain, supporting imperial finances and silver flows in Eurasian trade.

Sources

Potosí https://www.britannica.com/place/Potosi
Potosí: The Silver City That Changed the World — Kris Lane (2019)