Antonio de Ulloa (1716-1795) was a Spanish expert in natural sciences, a naval officer, and a colonial administrator. Along with Jorge Juan y Santacilia, he was a member of the geodetic expedition of Charles-Marie La Condamine to Quito in 1735. They returned to Spain in 1744, after having analyzed the economic and political conditions in the Andean region. They also wrote a report that described the fraud and abuse that raged in the Andes. Ulloa was one of the discoverers of platinum. He toured Europe in early 1750 in order to study new technologies and recruit technicians to Spain. He served as governor of the Huancavelica mercury mines between 1757 and 1764. During the 1780s, he commanded Spanish naval operations. As a scientist Ulloa was one of the leading figures of the Spanish Enlightenment.
