Francisco Cano

Who is Francisco Cano?

Francisco Cano was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who travelled the north of Mexico to find gold and other precious metals, in the 16th century. He served as Lieutenant Major of the Mazapil mines in the 1560s and discovered a lake in what is today Mexico which led to further colonization of the area. He is considered important to the discovery of what is today New Mexico because of the opening up of supply lines in what is today Zacatecas. His work in the mines was a major asset in the expanding metal trade that played a large role in the expansion of the Spanish economy throughout the world.