Bartolomé de Medina (mining specialist)

Bartolomé de Medina (born around 1504 in Seville) was a Spanish merchant known for his invention of the patio process.

In Europe, he learned the economics of litharge smelting, and, from a German man known only as "Maestro Lorenzo" or "Leonard", he learned how to efficiently use mercury, and a "strong brine", to extract silver from its ore. Around the age of 50, Medina moved to New Spain, leaving behind his wife Leonor de Morales and their five children.

[citation needed] First settling in Mexico City, Medina worked on silver amalgamation for a year at the residence of Hernando de Ribadeneyra, before moving on to Pachuca.

Located on Magdalena Mountain, he had access to running water and lower grade ore in the Old Discovery Mine dump.

However, it was several months before Medina discovered that the brine and mercury method Lorenzo showed him in Spain also required iron or copper sulfate.