A copper and gold mine.
Already in the 12th century copper ingots from Mankayan was exchanged with Chinese traders for their goods. When the Spanish came in the 16th century it became their main metal source.
The modern era of mining started in 1936 when the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company was formed, starting with a 400 ton/day mill production, soon increased to 1000 tpd. Operated for a few years by Mitsui Mining Company/Japan during the WWII. The company was able to start mining again 2 years after the liberation, and increased production to 4500 tpd later. When the production ceased in the enargite mine/orebody in 1996 it had produced 743 kt of Cu, 92 t of Au and 390 t of Ag.
Today the company is working another orebody located appr 3km away: the Victoria project.
High grade gold quartz veins with silver values.
Source; Lepanto Cons. material received at mine visit in Dec. 2001.
Ref.:
Rocks & Min.: 23:320
Bureau of Mines Mineral Trade Notes (Nov, 1947)
Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols: "Handbook of Mineralogy", Vol. 1, 1990.
