Juan Godoy

Biography Godoy was born to Flora Normilla, an indigenous woman, in the reduction of San Fernando in 1800. Later, he was baptized in the town of Copiapó. Godoy was able to recognise the silver outcrop since he had previously worked in mining as explosives driller (barretero) and apire (apir). According to folklore, Godoy was guided to the riches of Chañarcillo by an alicanto, a bird pertaining to Chilean mythology.

He successfully claimed the associated mining rights for the silver outcrop for himself and his brother José Godoy. Notoriously, local business leader Miguel Gallo also appeared registered as owning a third of the claim from the beginning. Various explanations have been put forward to explain this. One is that Godoy included Gallo in the claim at the request of his mother Flora. Just a week later Gallo bought all rights from Godoy and his brother. The amount paid for the rights to the Godoy brothers amounted to as little as 0.5% of the earnings of the mine in 1834. The conditions of work offered by Gallo were favourable and Godoy was able to make a small fortune again which allowed him to quit work and move to the city of La Serena.