G'morning my friend GB, Coffee? I agree with you. Yes, with work, most Mexican mines can be located since all were surveyed, and required to give geological and work reports yearly, taxes semi yearly, and at the end of their working life, bring things up to date.

However, during Mexico's hectic life, especially in the early years after the conquest, many were worked clandestinely, especially the ones controlled by the Jesuits.

Theoretically The Jesuits were expelled for mining against the King's order in 1767, this is not true, they were expelled because of their plot, in conjunction with the Dutch, to take North America away from Spain.

Their claims of never having been involved in mining in Mexico, basically were true, they used co-adjuctors to mine for them.

I rather suspect that an open beer account and relations with the local populence might turn up some fascinating information from the older ones.

Don Jose de La Mancha