Loading

Proposal for Transporting Quicksilver from Almadén to the Americas

1751-01-29

Archivos Estatales

Archivos Estatales
Spain

Proposed method of shipping quicksilver from Almadén to the Americas

One of the functions of the House of Trade was the supply of essential items to citizens, and the defense and economic exploitation of new lands. The growing use of the Patio Process in the 16th century, in which silver from mines in the Americas was obtained using an amalgam of quicksilver (mercury), mainly mined in Almadén (Huelva), meant that storing it appropriately was a constant concern. As is widely known, mercury is a metal with unique features, which present significant challenges when it comes to transporting it. Not only is it highly toxic, but its liquid state at room temperature means that it needs to be transported in special conditions.

Although by the 18th century most of the mercury used in the Americas was locally mined, shipments from the Iberian Peninsula continued to arrive, to ensure a constant flow of silver. This was essential for sustaining the Spanish Crown. This proposal from 1751, for the transport of mercury from Almadén to the Americas, involved boxes made of three different parts, for carrying the black glass bottles in which the mercury was stored. The boxes were secured externally with several strips of iron, and their total weight was calculated to make it easier to carry them on land, after they had been unloaded.

Details

  • Title: Proposal for Transporting Quicksilver from Almadén to the Americas
  • Date: 1751-01-29
  • Provenance: Archivo General de Indias
  • Original Source: Archivo General de Indias
  • External Link: PARES
  • Identifier: MP-INGENIOS,22

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Flash this QR Code to get the app
Google apps