Almaden

Almaden, a town in Spain, 50 miles SW. of Ciudad Real, situated in the chain of the Sierra Morena. Pop. 7755. It is famous for its twelve rich quicksilver mines, employing about 4000 miners, and yielding an annual output of 2,500,000 lb. The present mines, which have been carried to a depth of 1170 feet, date from the 17th century; but quicksilver was largely worked here by the Romans in the time of Pliny. Crown property, they were rented by the Fuggers of Augsburg (1525-1645), and by the firm of Rothschild (1836-63), but are now again carried on by government.—NEW ALMADEN, in the Coast Range, California, 12 miles from San José, was first worked regularly for mercury in 1845, and now yields upwards of 2,000,000 lb. a year.