Santa Rosalia

Santa Rosalia isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I've been fascinated by the place for over fifteen years... especially hiking and car camping the canyons around town. Fantastic mineral collecting and relics from a bygone era.

Seems like big changes are coming with Baja Mining making a major investment in extracting the copper remaining in the district, largely through open pit mining.

And looks like parts of Santa Rosalia’s familiar copper smelter complex are being dismantled and others are being given a make over and preserved.



Across from the new Pemex, sandwiched between the two towering convertors next to the road and the old Boleo Company electricity generating plant, a “plaza” has been laid out as a place to enjoy exhibits from the time when the French company operated one of the most important copper production sites in the world. Santa Rosalia lays claim to be the second city in Mexico with electricity.



If you want to immerse yourself in a little unique Baja history, park near the harbor or Pemex and check it out.


Rotary dryers prepared ore for the furnace.




As many as seven furnaces produced a low grade copper “matte” which was poured off into these large crucibles, and then transported by crane to the convertors…




In the convertors, blasts of oxygen were forced through the matte to burn off the impurities and produce a 98% “blister” copper ingot. The two convertors were manufactured in Milwaukee, WI.




Mini train for carrying the poured ingots to the weighing shed.




Wheel detail. Made in Chicago.




One of the few blister copper ingots that stayed in Santa Rosalia.




View from the smelter structure to the harbor which is largely constructed of furnace slag.




The people of Santa Rosalia are proud of their history. When I passed through there a few weeks ago, the streets were packed for a parade celebrating the town’s 125th birthday - 1885-2010.

Graham, Thanks for the pictures. Santa Rosalia! What's not to like about Santa Rosalia?

Baja ready to break ground after raising US$1 billion

Nice pictures, I've only been through there to quickly get gas and run along.
While in the US, I live in Tacoma Wa, where there was and ASARCO copper smelting plant for almost 100 years. The black slag was used as landfill, driveway materiel, and various other uses. Then in the 70's it was discovered to contain "dangerous" levels of Lead, Cadmium, and other heavy metals. This stuff also was emitted from the smokestack. EPA and ASARCO have been cleaning this up for 30 years now. Some of my friends got the top 24" of topsoil removed from their yards, and new landscaping. I got a check.

I live in Redding, and have for some 19 years. To compare this mine with the Santa Rosalia mine is----- well------- apples and oranges, I believe. Here, the problem is continually running water from the mine-----doubt that they have that problem in Santa Rosalia.
Also, this mine is very unique-------and not duplicated anywhere else, I don't believe.

Barry

Rooms in the Hotel Frances








The machine shop - a virtual museum of industrialism. Saddened to see it being demolished.




Some of the wonderful assortment of minerals found in a canyon north of town... plus a coyote melon.




Sad grave of young French child





Santa Rosalia's black slag beach.





Don't pig out on the carnitas!

Just great Graham...

GRACIAS!

Gracias, Graham. Great thread about one of my favorite Baja towns...Santa Rosalia...alwys seems to be bustling with activity. The town has a cute nickname after a little flower, I believe it's pronounced something like...Ko-chen-knee-ah.... sp?




Current airport south of town towards San Bruno - Palo Verde.




I met the architect in charge of restoring the Hotel Frances back in the day. I'm pretty sure his first name was Carlos..but the memories are dimmed a bit. He flew back and forth quite a bit from the Lorteto airport Mike mentioned. Always had a very nice looking senorita with himl, too. He often joined us with a nice date at the Serinadad Saturday nite pig barbeque in Mulege.


Hotel Frances bar scene around 1979. Like my sunflower jeans?




Hotel Frances today.



Guaymas - Sta Rosalia ferry in background. Same day as the pld bar scene above. We took that car ferry with my pickup camper and boat/trlr to Guaymas the next day.



For FM-3, tourist visas, etc..check upstairs in this building next the car ferry building on the malecon.



The infamous Infeirno grade north of town..it has claimed many lives over the years. Lots of wreckage shows down in the canyons below.


The Marina...tied up my old Pompano there more than a few times. Good restocking port. Easy walks to almost everything needed.


I like walking around and seeing all the old mining history..like this niclely restored old whistle I bought at a local store. You can almost see the scenario..whistle blowing, men coming to work..or breaking for lunch.




Of course, there's the 'world famous' Boleo bakery.



And..the world famous metal church created by Eiffel of Paris fa


And...the world famous Pepe's Taco stand as you first come off the malecon highway and head towards the city center. Been eating Pepe's for a long, long time..muy bueno!


[Edited on 12-22-2010 by BajaNomad]

I really enjoy Santa Rosalia, lots of history and very different. These are my daughter Coleen's photos:

the wooden houses

The homes and buildings built by the french mining company, with lumber shipped in from Canada and Oregon, make this town unique. I think that and the black sand beaches is what attracted me to it initially.

Thanks for the post Graham.

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano And...the world famous Pepe's Taco stand as you first come off the malecon highway and head towards the city center. Been eating Pepe's for a long, long time..muy bueno!

We took the ferry over from Guaymas...

...in the mid-90's while on a 'road trip' with our old 73 VW Bay window bus...

The trip across was fairly cheap at that time - I think we paid about $45 for the Bus and our tickets were $14 each...

We left early in the day, and everyone had to 'back' down through the open bow doors to be secured to the vehicle deck with chains and cables - the Pacifico truck was loaded last, and had the easiest time 'backing' his rig - at the 'expense' of few cases of 'liberated' cervezas, I'll bet!

We'd packed a cooler full of drinks and eats for the crossing, and we spend most to of the trip on the boat deck, aft, where we had a great view, and the wind in our hair...

We passed several large pods of dolphins, some of which seemed like a 'midget' variety...

By the time we got to SR in the late afternoon, the wind had kicked up quite a bit (what else is new!)...the skipper tried once to make the turn in through the breakwater, but waved off as he couldn't keep her lined up with the opening...

We then circled around off the harbor for about 45 mins, waiting for the SR Pilot to come bounding out through the waves in a panga to give it a shot at bringing her in...

The pilot made a '360' with that old ferry boat, watching the wind, waves, local currents, and bounced that old tub right into the harbor without a hitch!

We always wondered why the Military gave us the vehicle 'shakedown' when we loaded in Guaymas, AND when we drove off in SR?

Ray

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano Gracias, Graham. Great thread about one of my favorite Baja towns...Santa Rosalia...alwys seems to be bustling with activity. The town has a cute nickname after a little flower, I believe it's pronounced something like...Ko-chen-knee-ah.... sp? I like walking around and seeing all the old mining history..like this niclely restored old whistle I bought at a local store. You can almost see the scenario..whistle blowing, men coming to work..or breaking for lunch. Pompano, here's your whistle on an auction site... described as: "Lunkenheimer brass chime locomotive steam whistle." "Outstanding Lunkenheimer Brass Locomotive Whistle With Integral Valve 3-1/2" diameter 1-1/4" NPT 14" tall brass whistle. This whistle was reportedly used on the Oak Creek RR in North Carolina. This whistle is in fantastic condition with clean hexes and nice seating valve. Whistle has NO dings or dents, and is polished to a high luster. Mount this whistle on your locomotive or traction engine and have a hoot !" http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lunkenheimer-brass-chi... Some of those train whistles are fetching $1000 at auction. You might have yourself a deal there. Just another reason why Santa Rosalia is such a fascinating place.