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LOCAL Saturday 31 May 2025

The Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins and its history

(Oranjestad)—The Bushiri-
bana Gold Mill Ruins is one
of the most visited places by
tourists on the island, as it lies
along the northern coast line
near the mini pool and on
the way to the Natural Bridge.
Despite its seemingly plain
appearance, this ruin repre-
sents one of the most impor-
tant histories of the island: The spread among the locals Mining Company Ltd. was no
Aruban Gold Rush. who started searching for different, but used a unique
more gold. About 25 pounds method that involved grind-
Built in 1872 by English com- it to a local merchant who worth was found. ing the rocks and letting the
pany Aruba Island Gold Min- It wasn’t until 100 years lat- then sold the lump for $70. dust be blown away by the
ing Company Ltd, the gold er, in 1824, when a young Unbeknownst to the boy At the same time, the Aruban strong northeast wind, leav-
mill at Bushiribana was con- boy found a lump of gold and his father, they quite government took immediate ing clumps of gold behind.
structed in the area where while out herding his fa- literally struck gold, and as actions, and informed Cura- The next step was melting
most gold was found by ther’s sheep. His father took word got out, a gold fever cao that gold was found. At the gold and letting it at-
locals. The story of gold on first, everyone could look for tach to quicksilver in order
Aruba actually dates back gold, as long as they sold it to to obtain pure gold. All these
to 1725, when a first explo- the government. However, processes were done at the
ration for gold on the island after some time, the govern- Bushiribana Gold Mill.
was commissioned by the ment decided to implement
Dutch West India Company. stricter rules and banned lo- The gold mill itself had a short
Under the leadership of Mr. cal search parties. life-span: only 10 years in
Paulus Printz, a three-year service, but its structure re-
search was conducted on Over the years, concession- mained relatively solid till this
Aruba, to no avail. Though holding had seen different day, and is now a historical
they found some gold, it was companies from around remnant.q
enough to motivate a further the world, all of which used
search, and the assignment primitive methods to dig Sources: Etnia Nativa & gold-
was discontinued by Printz and carve out gold from mineranch.com.
himself. the rocks. Aruba Island Gold

Aruba to me

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