Silver smelting towers, Pozos, Mexico, August 2017
An hour’s journey out of San Miguel is the historic mining town of Pozos. It was here that indigenous people originally discovered both Silver and Gold in a rift in the desert, afterward exploited by both the Spanish, and later, by President Porfirio Diaz at the turn of the last Century. Although once home to about 10,000, for much of the time it has lain as a deserted ghost town, as indeed much of it is still today, including the two major mine sites and buildings. This photo is of the oldest mine, Santa Brigida, with its iconic three smelting towers, which now stands alone in the landscape.