Mariano Eduardo de Rivero Y Ustariz - Early Years

Early Years

Mariano Eduardo de Rivero y Ustariz was born in Arequipa, Peru. His parents were Antonio Salvador de Rivero y Araníbar, captain in the Spanish Royal Army in the viceroyalty of Peru, and Maria Brígida de Ustariz y Zúñiga. Mariano Eduardo married February 18, 1840 Agueda Escolástica Pacheco de Salas y Salazar. They had four children, but only their daughters Candelaria and Francisca Guillermina survived childhood.

Mariano Eduardo began his education in the Seminary of San Jerónimo, Arequipa. As a brilliant student his parents decided in 1810 to send him in the age of twelve for a scientific study to Europe. In London visited Mariano Eduardo the independent school in Highgate (Highgate School), directed by Dr. Dowling. He focused his studies there on mathematics, physics and languages (Latin, French and German). He continued his studies 1817 in Paris in the Royal Mining School (École royale des mines de Paris, today École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) where he studied mineralogy and chemistry. During that time he met as well some famous scientists, like Joseph Louis Proust, Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Alexander von Humboldt. When he finished his studies at the Royal Mining School, he decided in 1821 to visit some mines in the mining areas of England, France, Germany and Spain, where he learned about the usual mining techniques.