The Mining Doñas of New Spain

The mid- to late sixteenth century witnessed the emergence of colonial Mexico’s northern silver mining district, an elliptical area northwest of Mexico City that encompassed the great production centers of Zacatecas, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, and Parral. Scholars have traditionally populated this space with men, arguing that amongst many men there was usually “one” woman. This paper seeks to complicate this paradigm by focusing on the female miners, that is the owner of mines and refining works, of Mexico's near northern silver mining district. Women considered mining towns as sites of economic and social opportunity. This paper seeks to reveal the role that female miners played in the development of mining works and towns.