▁the ▁first ▁g ifts ▁that ▁Hern án ▁Cort és ▁received ▁from ▁Mo ct ez uma ▁II ▁was ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁disc s , ▁one ▁in ▁gold ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁silver , ▁which ▁represented ▁the ▁sun ▁and ▁moon ▁respectively . ▁The ▁existence ▁of ▁gold ▁and ▁silver ▁in ▁Mexico ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁attra ctions ▁for ▁the ▁Spanish ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World , ▁with ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁the ▁Az te c ▁Empire ▁and ▁subsequent ▁expl oration ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁finding ▁more ▁of ▁these ▁pre cious ▁met als . ▁M ining ▁and ▁metal ▁working ▁became ▁a ▁main ▁aspect ▁of ▁the ▁economy ▁of ▁colonial ▁Mexico . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁emphas is ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁min ing ▁of ▁gold , ▁silver , ▁co pper , ▁iron , ▁lead , ▁plat in um ▁and ▁tin ▁with ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁metal , ▁especially ▁gold , ▁sh ipped ▁to ▁Spain . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁working ▁of ▁met als ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁col ony ▁was ▁heavily ▁restricted ▁or ▁out right ▁b anned ▁for ▁several ▁reasons , ▁including ▁protection ▁of ▁Spanish ▁metal ▁gu ild s , ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁work ▁did ▁not ▁contribute ▁to ▁royal ▁tax es ▁and ▁the ▁fear ▁that ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁would ▁make ▁weapons . ▁However , ▁these ▁soon ▁became ▁imp ract ical ▁to ▁en force ▁with ▁the ▁restrictions ▁then ▁only ▁to ▁the ▁making ▁of ▁objects ▁related ▁to ▁ind igen ous ▁religion . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁introduced ▁new ▁metal working ▁techniques , ▁especially ▁the ▁prom oting ▁of ▁co pper ▁work ▁by ▁Vas