Final answer:
Lima was important to Pizarro primarily due to the rich gold mines and vast silver and wealth extracted from the Andes, making it a major source of wealth for the Spanish Empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why was Lima important to Pizarro? Among the options provided, the correct answer about Lima's significance to Francisco Pizarro is B) Rich gold mines. Lima was established by Pizarro as the capital of the new Spanish colony in the land of the Incas due to its proximity to the wealth of gold and silver in the Andes Mountains. The Inca Empire was highly valued by European conquerors for this reason. Lima became a city built on the immense wealth extracted from the surrounding lands, particularly from the famed silver mining operation in Potosí, Bolivia, which was under the Spanish Crown. Pizarro and his men forced the Inca emperor Atahualpa to fill a room with gold as a ransom, reflecting the immense value they placed on the precious metals found in the region. The riches extracted became a cornerstone of Spanish wealth during this colonial period.