Global silver trade from the 16th to 18th centuries American mining for the early part of the 16th Century. Mining in the Americas became formally industrialized when the process of mercury amalgamation became popularized. Mercury amalgamation was invented by a Spaniard in central Mexico in the 1550s. Historians dispute what individual was the first to invent the process, however most agree that it was a Spaniard. Mercury was the one of the highest costs of production for the Americas, since much of it had to be shipped. The ratio of Mercury to silver produced was about two to one. Furthermore, German miners introduced the stamp mill and lead smelting
SS Aztec SS Aztec SS "Aztec" was an American Cargo ship during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On 1 April 1917 she was torpedoed by German submarine SM U-46 off of the northwest coast of France. SS "Aztec" was built in 1894 by Edwards & Sons Shipbuilding Co in Howdon-On-Tyone at the request of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. She ran regular routes between San Francisco, Honolulu, and Shanghai. She departed New York City in March 1917 with a cargo of copper, steel, lumber, machinery and chemicals bound for the port of Le Havre. On 1 April 1917 she was