Balashi Gold Mill

The Balashi Gold Mill is the intact ruins of a former gold smelter site in Aruba.

Standing atop a hill overlooking the Spanish Lagoon, the smelter site was originally constructed in 1899 and operated for about 16 years before it was closed. The mill was run by the Aruba Gold Concessions Company. The site was later partially repurposed as a desalination plant.

Today, visitors can drive up to the base of the structures and walk around a network of paths that wind through the stone architecture and features. Atop a flight of stairs is a hollowed out building with views overlooking the lagoon and out at the Caribbean Sea.

Over the short course of its lifetime, the Balashi Gold Mill helped process the more than 3 million pounds of gold taken from the island. Today, like the other remaining mill structure at Bushiribana Gold Mill, the Balashi ruins remain quiet, and open to visitation.

Balashi Gold Mill is under the management of Arikok National Park, however there is no fee required to visit this site.