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The El Negrito Mine is located high above and to the southeast of the "Pueblo Fantasma" area (See Map). It was notible for having a picturesque chapel that has in the course of time almost totally disintegrated. The circumstances of the mine discovery and development are not clear except that it appears to have been associated with the colorful person of Ventura Ruiz, nicknamed El Negrito due to his dark complexion, who discovered the El Milagro mine in 1779. According to Ipina (IPIÑA, p 27-38), Ruis was originally a wandering musician in the area who found a rich silver outcropping when, after losing his horse, he had to sleep out over the night, and in the morning found beads of silver in the ashes of his cold campfire. Different versions of this story are told about several mines in the Catorce area.
A view of the entire El Negrito mining complex in 1986. The chapel tower can be seen in the upper part of the complex, on the horizon in the center of the view.
| Neglect
by man and the ravages of time have had their effect on the Negrito
chapel. By the turn of the present century only half of the dome and
three supporting corners remained. Now all that is left are these
photos. |
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| 1986 | March 2004 | November 2007 |
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| 1986 | March 2004 | November 2007 |
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| 1986 |
March 2004 |
November 2007 |
| The
above views show the continuing deterioriation of the ruins at the El
Negrito mine. What was a complete dome with all four corners intact in
the late1980's is now almost totally collapased. |
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An view of the upper parts of the old Negrito mine in November of 2007, including the
structure with the collapsed chapel. The road below the ruins is for
access to an exploration drilling pad by the current mining concession.
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