making money out of dirt

8/14/2019 Making Money Out of Dirt

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M A K I N G M O N E Y O U T O F D I R Tp a p e r s o f t h e

U T A H M IN IN G S YM PO SI UM

U TA H C EN T E NN IA L F OU ND AT IO NU TA H S TA TE H IS TO RI CA L S OC IE TY

U T A H M I N I NG A S SO C I A T I O N

U TA H E ND OW ME NT F OR T HE H UM AN IT IE S

1987


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D o w n T h e S h a f t , O r U p? : S i l v e r a n d H e r i t a g e i n t h e T i n t i cM i n i ng D i st ri c tb y G a r y B . P e t e r s o n . 1

U ta h ' s C op p e r I nd us t r yb y L e on ar d J . A r r i n g t o n

M a r k e t s , R a i l s , a n d R e g u l a t i o n s : O n e H u n d r e d Y e a r s o f U t a h C o a lb y N an c y J . T a n i g u c h i . . . . 2 3

T h e U r a n i u m I n d u s t r y i n U t a h

o y G a r y L . S h u m w a y

R ec la m at i on a n d R em in in gb y t~a r y A n n W r i g h t . . . . . . . . . 7 7


3/88

DOWN THB SHAPT OR UP!

SILVBR AND HBRITAGB IN THB TINTIC MINING DISTRICT

The old West of prospectors, hard rock districts and towns that goboom and bust is in the midst of another wave of change. The surge inprecious metals prices at the end of the 1970s inflationary cycle saw newdemand and new technologies appear as the old districts poised in a presentextracting a price from the past. Generally higher metals prices have

joined heap leaching and ion exchange extraction processes to cause oldmines and waste dumps to suddenly assume "ore" status in the currenteconomics. As seismic crews, core drillers and bulldozers lace the oldclaims in search of new data, the historic fabric of interrelated elementscomprising a landscape is undergoing change.

But change is ongoing at some rate in every landscape and in thefabulous but little known Tintic Mining District more destructive forcesthan the new crop of miners have been at work. The Multiple ResourceNational Register Historic District created in 1978listed some 24 individualsites of major significance. By 1987 of 13 listed sites that had majorstructures 6 had disappeared. Dozens more that contributed to the sense ofplace and past also disappeared. Many of those were more significant thansites that were listed. A number of questions are raised by this ongoingprocess and in the time available we will address some of them. First, whyhave major historic sites been recognized and then destroyed and whatdifference if any does their passing make?

To get a feel for the visual changes and the flavor of place involved,we may divide the landscape into Eureka proper, other townsites, and mine

surface plants or workings. Main Street Eureka in 1986 had a neglectedbut beautiful example of a commercial Victorian false front on the northside across from the BPOE bUilding. Since most of the rows of businessbuildings on that side had been razed in the previous 10 years, it wasespecially striking in its isolation. It had the classic 19th-century recessedentry with display windows and tiled floor and a corrugated roof rusted toa mellow contrast with the backdrop earthtone hills. It was replaced witha 1940s caboose in fresh painted Union Pacifi,c yellow and red. Next doorwent a slant-wall metal prefab for the fire department. Buildings leave amessage. Post railroad era permanence was expressed in fancy brickworkand Victorian decoration. It is difficult to retain a sense of community orpride when structures have an air of impermanence that indicates the typeof boom or bust we currently are in.

Over the mountain in Mammoth, a miners cottage stared vacant-eyedacross a valley once filled with the modest frame dwellings of the workingman. An artist's centerpiece in autumn, by 1985it was gone joining mostof its kin. The miner's "dry" building at the Tintic Standard had servedfor years as storage for core samples after the miner's changing room needhad passed. It burned to the ground in 1986, the nefarious deed of anarsonist. The Chief No.2 headframe over its early concrete-lined shaft wasunique in its width and number of structural members. It was bulldozed inthe early 1980s and replaced with a steel headframe. The Yankee


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headframe, perched on a northeast flank of Godiva Mountain, was bulldozedby ARCO in 1979. While no reason was given, it was apparently easier toscreen the collar for safety that way.

Fundamental philosophical questions arise in view of these changes.Many factors operate in the destruction of historic mining sites. Hardeconomic times as well as good ones, taxes, liability costs, apathy andinsensitivity are among them. In 1987 Eureka suddenly found itself a

"gateway" to the Great Basin National Park. National Parks are notoriousfor attracting tourists with dollars many of whom stop and leave some ofthose in historic mining districts enroute or nearby. Virginia City, Nevadaand Montana, Georgetown, Colorado and Columbia, California come to mind.Ironically in the very same year three of Eureka's major businesses closedand its most prominent if not most significant symbol of mining, the BullionBeck headframe, was being stabilized by a state agency under pressure toreverse some of its more insensitive and illegal activites.

At this point we pause to tell the sordid tale (nearly as fascinating as

John Beck's discovery and development of the mine itself) of the BullionBeck headframe's recent near demise at the hands of the Abandoned MineReclamation Program of Utah's Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. Situatedalongside US 6 just west of Eureka is a massive 65 foot Montana-type twopost "gallows" frame which hoisted men and equipment in and out of themine shaft. One of the largest and most substantial examples of suchstructures in the West, it annually becomes more rare as the ravages oftime and man eliminate them. Many mining historic districts have only astray small example in poor condition remaining. One of several of anexcellent cross section of types in the Tintic, the Bullion Beck is fastbecoming a symbol of mining history of significance far beyond Utah.

The DOGM's AMRP expanded out from such busy recreational sites asthe Cottonwood Canyons to begin removing the "hazards" of abandonedmines from Eureka in 1985. By April 1986they had performed the requisitepaper work and had a contractor preparing the collar of the shaft for asteel safety grate. In direct opposition to contractual guidelines andfederal law, the skip guides were smashed down unceremoniously with abackhoe. Weather worn, they were viewed as "unsafe." (letter, TinticHistorical Society Chairman of the Board to AMRP, April 3, 1986) Thesplintered pieces were reportedly doused with gasoline and set afire. This

just months after the Wilberg Mine fire! .In spite of numerous tanks ofwater dumped by the local fire department, the cribbing around the collarsmoldered and burned for weeks. Does this sound like the type of peopleyou want responsible for removing hazards from your National RegisterHistoric Site? In terms of Western mining history the destruction was

comparable to swinging the wrecking ball at the angel Moroni atop the SaltLake temple.AMRP people continued to asSure the Tintic Historical Society and

numerous concerned citizens that there was "no effect" on the historicalsignificance of the site. When they finally viewed the damage the tune waschanged, but mitigating of the "effect" required continued pressure fromother government agencies and individuals. By summer 1987 the job wasfinally complete and done nearly as well as it should have been in the firstplace. But the tragedy was both more symbolic and more deep seated.


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The real tragedy is that AMRP people have a mind set inherentlyinsensitive to history. They possess the "beaver mentality" which viewsevery problem as an engineering opportunity. Rather than approaching, forexample, the problem of safely closing an open mine shaft with a view tominimum materials and visual intrusion they choose the opposite. Theirprojects in Eureka first put down a massive aluminum painted steel meshthree or four times the size reason might suggest. After negative comment,

they repainted them brown and covered most of them with earth. RobertRedford has commented on the "Neanderthal mentality" displayed by highwayengineers in Provo Canyon. "You don't have to destroy something toimprove it," he said. (Deseret News, Oct. 6, 1987, p. A7) Mining andhighway engineers are perhaps relatecJ.

What AMRPdoes speaks much more lOUdlythan what it says. Despitethe sensitivity to history they proclaim, their actions in Iron County areexemplary. There "the bulldozers, backhoes and scrapers are sealing mineportals, hauling off. mine tailings, and removing any traces of pastmining" That the "Leyson mine, first opened in 1854,has been identifiedas the oldest coal mine in the state" ("Machines removing signs of CedarCanyon mining," Deseret News, Oct. 19, 1986) and was a significantcontributor to pioneer iron smelting efforts was apparently inSUfficient

justification to DOGMto save a few vestiges for the appreciation andedification of future generations. Oh, but they were going to put up aplaque, as if history were a zoo, and the whole thing only cost $182,750!This is not to argue that there are no legitimate hazards around abandonedmines. Rather that this is another out of proportion bureaucratic programdoing more damage than good crusading under questionable mandate to savea tiny minority of the population from its own stupidity.

It is the razor edge of irony. One state agency tries to preserve alittle of Utah's mining past for the future while another works diligently toobliterate it. One has a minimal budget, one has millions and the ear ofthe media. Which do you think will prevail? Only if the truth becomesknown to a larger public can David entertain a modest chance of slaying

Goliath.

Those who read discover that history has a way of repeating itself.Perhaps the best reason then for preserving some history is the timehonored dictum that a knowlege of the past can save at least some of usfrom repeating some of the mistakes of the past. The preservation ofbuildings, townscapes and landscapes is an evolving idea that has beenaround in some form for centuries. Value in the practice is attributed tosuch diverse notions as aesthetics, enlightenment and, especially in these"cost-benefIt-ratio" times, economics. It has been well proven that in many

cases the past yields monetary as well as more intangible profits.Sometimes only curiosity or chance operate to save places that becomeappreciated in a later time.

Destruction of historic places also has many motives. Buildings aswell as books have been burned because some group or individual hasnegative feelings about what a place symbolizes. Frequently the past standsin the way of someone's view of "progress." A societal anomie andpreoccupation with materialism seem to be near the root of "tear it out"tendencies. The physical past cannot become symbolic in the minds of its


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viewers until there develops a chain of awareness, knowledge and ultimately

appreciation. The perception of what is "positive" or "negative" and towhat degree is very dependent on the viewer's frame of reference orprevious experience. Political, tax and insurance ramifications oftenoperate. Apathy and benign neglect are a two edged sword both preserving

and destroying.Reasons vary then for the preservation and destruction of historic

places. The question remains, "So what?" What difference does it makewhether historic places are preserved or destroyed? The difference is far

reaching and frequently subtle. Numerous studies from urban planners and

geographers show that shape, detail, flow, sense of past and attractiveness

to pedestrians and human interaction all affect the social, psychological and

ultimately the physical well being of both people and places. Since people

tend to operate as left or right brain entities and the former dominate our

structured society of political, economic and social systems, it appears to bean uphill battle to elevate the organization of habitat and environs to a

humane level.

Butte, Montana underwent an extensive Historic American EngineeringRecord (HAER) survey following local concerns that the adjacent open-pit

copper mine was about to swallow the town. Janet Cornish, UrbanRevitalization Agency director, said, "All of a sudden, people started getting

excited. Before, downtown had seemed an old, cumbersome area with

sentimental value and little else. Now the community saw its economicpotential, and they saw that people from outside the community were

recognizing it." (Tom Huth, "Mining in the West: Will Our Heritage Survive,"

Historic Preservation, May-June 1981 p. 15; also see USDI NPS, Butte,

Montana A Project Report, April 1981) In a materialistic world, the

survivors in the preservation game soon discovered that an economic appeal

based on well substantiated facts was their best approach. The modus

operandi became simply "show 'em how it makes 'em money!"Of the many reasons for preserving mining history in Eureka and the

Tintic, the best may be economic and historical. Economic because if the

town's depressed economy is ever to achieve a degree of revival andstability, the traveler's interest in mining history and not the boom and

bust mining economy itself will provide it. The district by accident of

unpopularity and neglect maintained a range of mining, commercial and

residential structures unexcelled in Utah and most of the West. The raw

material was and may still be there, but lacking is a view of Tintic's place

in the scope of Western mining history, a vision of the district's potential

and a commitment to plan, execute and "do it right." The historical

rationale is based on the townscape and the array of headframes andsurface plants that survive here compared to other districts that now "sellhistory" with much less of the authentic to show.

Even building on your best bet, the material culture landscape of

mining past, does not go unopposed. Philosophies of preservation vary as

much as human beings. Some prefer to see the district remain a quiet ruralretreat and personal playground. Some still carry that old West frontier

notion transposed, "the only good planner is a dead planner." Personalrights remain viscerally more important than public ones especially when it

comes to property. Opposition also comes as an outgrowth of the

automobile and mass communications. The locals can drive out and tune in

to get what they want out of town, and the out-of-towners can commute to

work the mines during the next mineral boom. These songs are replayed

across rural America.


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The preservation ethic did not win the West, Manifest Destiny did.

There remains a refreshing lack of realization that the frontier era is over.

That can be a very appealing force to urbanites, tourists and otheroutsiders. It also points to the paradoxes pervading the story of

preservation in Western mining districts. One federal and state tier of

bureaucracy labors to interpret and save our past so that we canunderstand and appreciate it. Another layer of federal and state agencies

operating from the other side of the brain accidentally and on purposedestroy the same past under a relatively legitimate mandate to protect the

public from hazards. One mining company bulldozes headframes and

business blocks in a twinge of liability consciousness and tax reduction.

Another opens a historic tunnel to tours and yet another shares its

extensive historic research with interested historical societies. Some people

bought locally, even if it cost a few dollars more, and others awaited the

trek to the valley to shop. Now there is little option. Some are sensitive

to commercial facades and paint schemes while others "don't give a damn."

Individualism, at least, is alive and well in the Tintic!

Paradox also appears in other districts. Robert Hope, Australian

president of Denver-based Houston International Minerals Corporation,

acknowledges both past mistakes and the inevitability of conflict at their

Virgina City, Nevada operation. "We should have let the community knowwhat we were doing; now we're being more up front, and I think we're

being accepted as responsible corporate citizens." After a $78,000

contribution to a historic district survey he said, "We were paying for

information--we wanted to see what is really there. To some extent,people perceive value where we don't. Obviously we can't preserve every

building." (Huth, 1981)

Perhaps more pressing than the direct mining impacts on past mining

landscapes (to a degree natural and evolutionary) are the indirect or

secondary effects of the recent mining and energy booms. A new mine or

leach field or seismic survey is much less destructive than the associated

influx of people with a vandal mentality and no roots in or appreciation of

the local community and its history. Denice Wheeler, secretary of theUinta County Historical Society in oil boom Evanston, Wyoming, summed up

the flip side of the newcomer-oldtimer influence this way. "The new people

in town have become extremely interested in our history. People who've

lived here all their lives become sort of immune to their heritage " (Huth,

1981)

Landscape and townscape change in the Tintic Mining District may be

conveniently divided into three major time periods; pre-1869, and before and

after 1929. The era of Native American and Spanish Influence probably had

little impact on the look of the place. Chief Tintic's guerrila war foraysfrom the springs at Homansville and vicinity put a little fear in a few

valley settlers and a label on the district, but their nomadic lifestyle left

little mark on the land. The Indians in fact were in close harmony with

the natural scheme of things. The Spanish are reputed in some accounts to

have left arrastra paths from mining efforts in the region, but this remains

one of those obscure stories of an obscure place and time that has not

been well researched. The Spanish were noted for primarily working

surface outcrops and natural openings.


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The second phase of landscape change in the Tintic came with

discovery of the Sunbeam in 1869 and the beginning of the "Big Four"

mines in Eureka Gulch the following year. The 1870s Discovery andDevelopment era saw high grade ore so rich it was plucked from surfaceexposures, loaded in wagons for haulage to the railroad in Salt Lake and

shipped to San Francisco and around the Horn to Wales for smelting.Consolidation and Expansion occurred in the 1880s and 1890s when mills and

smelters struggled with the district's complex ores and railroads finallyconnected the place to big city capital and technology. The boom and bust

cycles had already begun. A 1900 description from the !!!!. Lake MiningReview (April 30, p. 5) serves to indicate the flavor of the district when

Eureka had a popUlation of 3500 and Mammoth 1200. Eureka "boasts of

nearly every metropolitan advantage and is a little city instead of an

isolated mining campMammoth also has kept pace with the times, and,

while not as large as Eureka, enjoys about the same facilities." Threedecades of New Technology from 1900 to 1930 saw the automobile and

electric power arrive and a continuation of cyclical economics.

The Great Depression that followed the stock market crash of October

24, 1929 marks a major downhill turn in the ongoing cycles of boom and

bust in Tintic towns and mines. Production slowed in the '30s to pick upwith World War II demand in the '40s. By the late 1940s many houses were

moved from Tintic towns to valley towns like Springville, Spanish Fork andNephi. Some were burned and others were torn down, but the late '40s and

'50s saw significant portions of the built environment disappear. The 1950s

and '60s era of Diminishing Production saw the rails pulled up and agradual exodus continue, leaving a ghostly shell of the district's former

self. The 1970s and '80s witnessed the paradox of Preservation and Apathy

as the nation's bicentennial generated a superb local historical society and

finally the closure of the last operating mines in the district. The post-

Depression period was one of disappearing and shrinking towns and a

contracting Eureka commercial district. The town that had expanded up

Eureka Gulch, and extended from nearly the Evans to Knightsville, began a

process of shrinking at the margins and thinning from within. Acounterpoint of new home building by natives and lovers of the place and

via the idiosyncrasies of politics also began to fill a few gaps.

Not surprisingly, the mining towns of the American West bear strikingsimilarities. The men were highly mobile in their thirst for that "big

strike," and architecture, mining methods, and social institutions flowed

freely from place to place. Common themes and occurances include fires,

floods, celebrations, the arrival of "city slickers," ladies of the evening,

shootings, hangings, fast faro games at numerous saloons, and fortunes won

and lost. The shift whistles resounded across the landscape, the pump and

hoist engines hummed, and mighty teams of mules and horses freighted in

life's necessities until the railroad and later trucks appeared. Hard men athard work in the mines, mills and smelters dominated the scene off Main

Street. Much appeared the same from Tintic to Tombstone. Structures

moved quickly from canvas tents and log cabins through simple wood frame

dwellings and false front businesses to more elaborate structures of wood,

brick and stone in the style of the time. As mines played out and people

departed, the towns became ghosts of their former glory or disappeared

altogether. The pattern was repeated full cycle throughout the West's more

prosperous mining districts.


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Tintic has long been one of the West's most overlooked districts. Inspite of phenomoneal production records and a history and folklore

unexcelled by the more notorious districts, the Tintic has wallowed in thebackwater eddys of obscurity. One reason is simply that it sits 75 miles

southwest of Salt Lake City in a Utah long dominated by a view of historydistinctly Mormon. The railroad and mining impacts continue to be

perceived at best out of context with the Mormon story. Tintic was well

known to the mobile miners who criss-crossed the West, but to the generalpopulation it was as unknown at the turn-of-the-century as it remains

today. If Utah is a perception depression in the West, Tintic is surely one

in Utah. Part of the reason for that lies in the Wasatch Front's peculiar

"Westside-Eastside" mentality. Places west of the River Jordan have never

been perceived as "desirable" in the eastside mind, no matter what theireconomic, historical or aesthetic amenities. Perhaps that concept stems

from sources of life-giving water, primarily a product of the Wasatch and

Uinta Mountains.The old shorter range corporate mentality of squeezing the bottom line

from afar is well represented by at least one Tintic mining company. The

example of Jerome, Arizona where "historic properties are being held inlimbo by inactive mining interests" (Huth, 1981) comes to mind. There is

also evidence for a corporate view that includes history and its material

expressions in a longer view. Centurion and Western have valued historic

photographs that include mine dumps. They help evaluate old mines for

potential reprocessing and help reconstruct past mining activity and evensections of mines underground. The company has uncovered records around

the country, some painting an unpretty picture of the lot of labor and

company policy. Maimings were frequent in the "good old days" and adeath or two in the drifts was insufficient event to be noted in the local

newspapers. It took a disaster like the September 1914 Oklahoma stope

cave-in that trapped 12 miners and killed 11 to unavoidably appear in print.

Life was hard way back when wages were $3.00 or $4.00 a day.

Sunshine's recent replacement of Kennecott was quietly heralded withthe local comment, "finally got somebody in there knows how to mine

underground." Indeed, they discovered lost ore bodies and held great

promise until $5.00 silver and state bureaucracy encouraged closure. The

company contributed a mine tour, over-counter silver sales, dollars and

enthusiasm to the Tintic Historical Society and town efforts to begin a

viable tourism campaign. Busted again by golly, but the minerals are there

waiting to become ore again and usher in another boom era.

The Tintic Mining District is a complex district. The ores baffled

early smelter designers who found few mines produced a similar product.

The same problem still puzzles the mining engineers. The geology is cut bynumerous faults and intrusions and still intrigues serious students of the

earth. The Salt Lake Tribune noted Tintic's mineral potential Jan. 1, 1892."Its growth has ii'O"i"'been commensurate with its merits. It took years to

find out that the rich surface deposits were not all that was good in the

lodes. When these surface deposits were worked down to the pyrites, or

'white iron,' further sinking was stopped, and it has been the work of thepast year or two to demonstrate that there is mineral in paying quantities

and qualities below this iron stratum, and many old claims will soon become

shippers." Ninety-five years later thorough and perhaps first region-wide

evaluations of the district's mineral potential are finally underway.


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What would the old-timers have done with seismic data, core drills andsatellite imagery? Part of the change we view in mining and the boom

towns of mining is related to other external changes. Supply and demandfrom far distant places, fear of war and depression and alternative materialsall affect the silver market. Perception can even prove more importantthan reality. One reality that affected activity in the 1980s was noted byRosenthal and Young. "Since the base price for silver is double or triple

what it was back in the 1970s, and prices for lead, zinc, and copper havebeen level since the mid-1970s, the importance of silver in metal-mining

operations has multiplied." (D. Rosenthal and E. Young, The New Case for

Silver, 1985, p. 17) This factor led to reprocessing of tailings or dumpsand increased capital flow toward primary silver mines.

Recent indications are positive for life in the old district's mines. A

Seattle stockbroker and analyst specializing in North American gold and

silver companies recently toured the district and noted that Centurion andWestern now control an area almost as large as the famed Carlin District inNevada. "Before [the Centennial-Eureka] was closed the mine produced 1.5

million tons of ore with an average grade of 0.3 ounces of gold and 14.0ounces of silver per ton. At today's prices this represents $288 million of

gold and $180 million of silver. Since the mine was closed in 1927, there

has been absolutely no modern exploration or drilling done " (Jeff Conley,"Centurion Mines A Sleeping Giant Reawakens," Bull and Bear, Oct. 1987, p.ll) ----

A few predictions for the not so famous Tintic are perhaps in order.It seems likely that the past will continue to repeat itself in slightly

altered forms. Mining will continue its cycles of boom and bust and those

apocryphyl tales of a kings ransom in once "worthless" Tintic Standard

mining stock traded for a night on the town may well repeat themselves.Those with the earliest information and the resolve to evaluate and act onit will again someday amass small fortunes from the Tintic. The mineral

base would seem to be there awaiting the alignment of outside factors

again. Another boom in mining will likely change the face of the main

district. Men can move mountains a good deal more quickly these days.Historian Phillip Notarianni concluded a lecture on the district's past

in these words. "The idea of a 'thread of optimism' through the fabric of

Tintic's history exists. This is tied closely to the cyclical pattern ofeconomy, or 'peak and trough' type of activity. Tintic is indeed still alive,

and historic preservation may well help it to remain alive." (Notarianni,

unpublished paper, no date) Tintic is indeed no "ghost," though a shadow

of its former self. But in spite of a class local historical society (recipientof the coveted Corey Award for the finest local historical society on thecontinent in 1985) many landmark structures have disappeared. Even more

tragically, many more non-landmark structures equally critical to the mining

landscape compage--its assemblage of elements creating a sense of place--have disappeared. When it comes to historic landscape and townscape, it

takes a well fired minority and broadening local base to first appreciatewhat it has and then to challenge adverse and insensitive changes spawned

by big corporations, big government, big dollars and small minds.The question arises, "at what point is it too late?" At what point

have too many sites been lost to retain a flavor that tells enough of astory of the place to attract enough visitor dollars to begin to preserve it?It is a complex question. In any case, if answers emerge, they will find

Tintic's and the rest of the West's material mining heritage held hostage in

large degree to appetites and forces well beyond Eureka Gulch.


11/88

P re se nt ed i n a s ym po si um o n m in in g s po ns or ed b y t he U ta h S ta teH is to ri ca l S oc ie ty i ~ S a l t La ke C it y. O ct ob er 3 1. 1 98 7


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t ra in o f w a go ns a nd h or se me n t ha t c a me t o d w e ll i n t h e v al le y w he re t he n a t iv es

s om et im es r oa me d. T he n ew c om er s w er e b ea r de d. s o be r. a nd i n d us tr io us . I ns te ad

o f m o vi ng o n t o t he w es t a s o t he rs w ho h ad p as se d t hr ou gh t he v al le y h ad d on e.

t he y d iv er te d t he s tr ea ms f lo wi ng f ro m e a st er n c an yo ns t o f u rn is h w a te r t o

d ri nk . t o wa sh . a nd t o i r ri ga te t he ir c ro ps . A nd s o t h ey m ad e t hi s t h ei r h om e.

I n t he 1 85 0s . t w o o f t he r ec en t i m mi gr an ts . T ho ma s a nd S an fo rd B in gh am .

g ra ze d c at tl e o n t he h il ls id es o f We st M ou nt ai n a nd d is co ve re d t he o ut cr op pi ng s

o f o re a mi d t he g r as s. J o hn L o wd er a ls o f ou nd s om e c op pe r t he re . b u t b e fo re h e

c ou ld f il e o n t h e l an d h e w as r ec ru it ed i nt o t he P o ny E x pr es s a s a r id er . B ut

w ha t u se w as c op pe r i n bu il di ng t he K in gd om ? T he e d i to r o f t h ei r n ew sp ap er .

t he D es er et N ew s. o bs er ve d t ha t g ol d w as t he p ri nc ip al t hi ng s oc ie ty w an te d;

a ny on e w ho s ou gh t t o e n ga ge i n c o pp e r m i n in g w ou l d h av e t o b e c o ns id er ed s li gh tl y

i ns an el ( De se re t N ew s. M ay 9 . 1 8 60 . )

W he n f ed er al t ro op s c am e t o t h e t e rr it or y t o p ro te ct o ve rl an d t ra ve l a nd

k ee p a n e y e o n t he M or mo ns d ur in g t he C iv il W ar . M or mo n b oy s d ra gg in g l og s f or

t he t ro op s t oo k s om e o f t he o re t o C o lo ne l P at ri ck C o nn or . t he c o m ma n de r. w ho .

w it h t h e b en ef it o f m a ny y ea rs o f e x pe ri en ce i n t h e C al if or ni a g ol d f i el ds . w as

i mp re ss ed w it h p re se nc e o f g ol d. s il ve r. a nd l ea d. a lo ng w it h t he c op pe r. H e

d ir ec te d t he f or ma ti on o f t h e W es t M ou nt a in M in in g D is tr ic t. O n A rm y t im e.

w it h A rm y t oo ls a nd e qu ip me nt . h is m en d ug t un ne ls a nd r em ov ed o re . I n 1 86 8.

w he n t h e U n io n P ac if ic R ai l ro ad w as c om pl et ed t o U in ta . s ou th ea st o f O g d en . t he

f ir st c ar lo ad o f c o pp er o re w a s h au le d f ro m B in gh am C an yo n f or s hi pm e nt t o t h e

E as t. I n 1 87 3. s ev er al m il li on d ol la rs w or th o f le ad a nd s il ve r o re f ro m

B in gh am C an yo n w er e s me lt ed . a nd s o me c op pe r w as p ro du ce d a s a b y -p ro du ct . b ut

t he r ic h f in d s o f c op pe r t ha t c a m e t o d o mi na te U ta h' s m in er al s i nd us tr y w er e

n ot w o rk ed u nt il t he 1 89 0s .


13/88

T he p ro bl em i s t ha t n o o ne k n ew h ow t o m in e p ro fi ta bl y a b od y o f o r e t ha t

c on si st ed o f m il li on s o f t i ny n ug ge ts e mb ed de d i n t h e p il e o f r oc ks t ha t m a de

u p t h e O qu ir rh s. I t wa s c le ar t ha t t h er e w as a m as s o f c op pe r o re . b ut i t wa s

d is se mi na te d s o t ha t i t r ep re se nt ed l es s t ha n 2 p er ce nt o f t h e s o il . H ow c ou ld

a ny on e m in e p ro fi ta bl y 2 p er ce nt ? A nd w h y w ou ld a ny on e w a n t c op pe r a ny wa y?

T he n A me ri ca ns b ec am e a wa re o f e le ct ri ci ty . t ho ug ht o nc e t o b e g e ne ra te d b y a

k in d o f f lu id . b ut l at er r ec og ni ze d a s c au se d b y t he p re se nc e a nd m ot io n o f

e le ct ro ns . p ro to ns . a nd o th er c ha rg ed p ar ti cl es . E le ct ri c p ow er . m en d is co ve re d.

c ou ld b e t ra ns po rt ed t o t he e nd s o f t h e e a rt h. a nd t he c he ap es t a nd f in es t

c on du ct or w as w ir e m ad e o f c o pp er .

W it h a n a c ce le ra ti ng d em an d. n ec es si ty f ou nd a w ay . a nd t he p ri ma ry a ge nt

o f t h e r e vo lu ti on ar y i nn ov at io n w as D a n ie l C . J a c kl in g. T al l. a th le ti c.

r es ou rc ef ul . a nd b ra in y. t hi s f or me r M i ss ou ri f ar m bo y h ad m an ag ed t o g et a n

e du ca ti on a t t he M is so ur i S ch oo l o f Mi ne s. t au gh t c he mi st ry f or a w hi le . a nd

t he n m ov ed o n t o t he g ol d f ie ld s a t C r i pp le C re ek . C ol or ad o. w he re h e o bt ai ne d

w or k a s a n a ss ay er . A dv en tu ro us a nd a m bi ti ou s. J a ck li ng s oo n a d va nc ed t o

b ec om e c hi ef m et al lu rg is t f or C ap ta in D e L a ma r' s g ol d r ed uc ti on p la nt i n M er cu r.

U ta h. T ha t p l an t w a s a n i n di sp en sa bl e p re cu rs or t o w ha t l at er h ap pe ne d a t

B in gh am . G ol d h ad b e en d is co ve re d a t Me rc ur i n 18 83 a nd J oh n D er n. f at he r o f

U ta h G ov er no r G eo rg e D er n. a nd o th er s o rg an iz ed t he M e rc ur G ol d M i n in g a nd

M il li ng C om pa ny a nd b ui lt t he f ir st c y a ni de p la nt f or t h e t re at me nt o f g ol d

o re s i n t he U n it ed S ta te s. T hi s p r oc es s. w hi ch r eq ui re d e xp en si ve e qu ip me nt a nd

h ig h v o lt ag e e le ct ri ci ty . m ad e i t pr of it ab le t o e xt ra ct o ne -h al f o un ce o f g o ld

p er t on o f o ve rb ur de n. A bo ut t he s am e t im e. a Du tc h s ea c ap ta in . C ap ta in J . L.

D e L am ar . b ou gh t m in es n ea r M e rc ur a nd e mp lo ye d D an ie l J a ck li ng t o e re ct a

s im il ar m il l. T he D er n a nd D e La ma r i nt er es ts t he n un it ed . T he ir e le ct ri ci ty


14/88

w as p ro vi de d b y L . L . N un n. o f T e ll ur id e f am e. w h o b ui lt a d am a cr os s t he P ro vo

R iv er a nd l ai d a 4 0. 0 00 -v ol t t ra ns m is si on l in e t he 3 2- mi le d i st an ce t o M er cu r.

r ec ei vi ng a cc la im a s t he f ir s t l o n g- di st an ce h ig h- vo lt a ge p ro je ct i n t he w o rl d.

T he p ro bl em o f e x c es si ve h ea t. w hi ch h ad c au se d p re vi ou s h ig h- vo lt ag e

t ra ns fo rm er s t o f ai l. w as s ol ve d b y p l ac in g t he t r a ns fo rm er i n a n o i l b a t h.

T hi s m e th od . s ti ll u se d t od ay I a m t ol d. b ot h i ns ul at ed a nd h el pe d t o c oo l t he

trans former.

A t t he u r gi ng o f D e L a ma r a nd G eo rg e D er n. J a ck li ng i nv es ti ga te d t he

p ot en ti al o f t h e m o un ta in o f p or ph yr y c op pe r a t B in gh am i n 1 8 98 . " Mo de rn "

m in in g h ad b eg un a t B in gh am i n 1 89 6 w he n S am ue l N ew ho us e a nd T ho ma s W ei r f or me d

t he H ig hl an d B oy G ol d M in in g C om pa ny t o b ui ld a c y an id e p la nt l ik e t ha t a t

M er cu r t o p ro ce ss t he g ol d o re t he y f ou nd a t B in gh am . A s e x pl or at io n c on ti nu ed .

t he m in er s d is co ve re d s ev er al o re c ha nn el s c ar ry in g c on si de ra bl e q ua nt it ie s o f

c op pe r. T hi s w a s n o s u rp ri se t o o ld ti me rs w ho h ad f ou nd e vi de nc e o f s u ch v ei ns

t hi rt y y ea rs e ar li er . A t a n y r a t e. t he U t ah C o ns ol id at ed G ol d M i n in g C om pa ny .

w hi ch h ad a b s or be d H ig hl an d B oy . d ec id ed t o er ec t a c o pp er s me lt er . C om me nc ed

i n 1 8 98 . t he y e a r J a ck li ng w en t t o o b se rv e. t hi s " m o de rn c op pe r s me l te ry " w as

c om pl et ed a nd p la ce d i n o pe ra ti on i n 1 8 99 . a nd w as t he f ir st s me lt er e re ct ed i n

U ta h p r im ar il y f or t he r ed uc ti o n o f c o pp er o re s.

I n t h a t s a m e y e a r. a c o n tr ol l in g i nt er es t i n Ut ah C on so li d at ed w as s ol d b y

N ew ho us e a nd W e i r t o W il li am R oc ke f el le r a n d H e nr y H . R og er s- -" th e S ta nd ar d ' Oi l

c ro wd "- -f or a r ep or te d $ 12 m i l li on . a nd a n e w c om pa ny . t he U ta h C on so li da te d

M in in g C om pa ny . w as f or me d. W it h t h ei r e a r ni ng s. N ew ho us e a nd We ir p ur ch a se d

a dj ac en t c l ai ms o f c o pp er a t B i n gh am . s ol d i nt er e st s t o B r it is h s to c kh ol de rs .

a nd f or me d t he B os to n C on so li da te d C op pe r a nd G ol d M i ni ng C om pa ny . L td . T hi s

c om pa n y' s p ro pe rt ie s w er e a bs or be d b y U ta h C op pe r i n 1 9 10 .


15/88

J a ck li ng r eg ar de d t he e ff or ts o f U ta h C on so li da te d t o wo rk t he v ei ns o f

c op pe r a s be in g p ic ay un e. T he p ot en ti al l ay . n ot w i th t he f ew v ei ns o f r i ch

o re . b ut w it h t he m o un ta in o f lo w- gr ad e o re . H e h ad a p ra ct ic al v is io n o f wh at

c ou ld b e d on e. a nd i n 1 9 03 h e w as a bl e t o p er su ad e h is o ld C ol or ad o f ri en ds .

C ha rl es M ac Ne il l a nd S pe nc er P en ro se . t o p ur ch as e t he e xt en si ve c la im s o f

C ol on el E no s A . W al l. w ho h ad a cq ui re d B in gh am p ro pe rt ie s i n 1 88 7. T he r es ul t

w as t he f or ma ti on o f t he U t ah C op pe r C om pa ny . w hi ch . J a ck li ng w as s ur e. c ou ld

d o w it h l ow -g ra de B in gh am c op pe r w ha t h e h a d d o ne f or t h e l ow -g ra de g ol d o re s a t

M er cu r. I ns te ad o f di gg in g i nt o t h e mo un ta in a nd l a bo ri ou sl y e xt ra ct in g t he

s ca nt y a nd p or ph yr it ic o re . J a ck li ng 's w or ke rs u se d s te am s ho ve ls t o s h ov el t he

r oc k a nd i ts o re i nt o g o nd ol a c ar s t ha t k ep t u p a s t ea dy p ro ce ss io n a ro un d t he

h il ls id es t o n ew ly -c on st ru ct ed m il li ng p la nt s o n t he n o rt he rn e dg e o f t h e

O qu ir rh s. n ex t t o t he s ou th e nd o f t he G re at S al t La ke . J a ck li ng 's o rg an iz at io n

a t f ir st u se d t hr ee s te am s ho ve ls . f ou r s ma ll l oc om ot iv es w it h s ix -y ar d w oo de n

d um p c ar s. i n mo vi ng 7 00 . 00 0 c ub ic y ar ds o f e ar th t ha t f ir st y ea r ( 19 06 ).

e xp os in g a lm os t 6 a cr es o f o re . I t ma rk ed t he f ir st t im e s t ea m s ho ve ls h ad

b ee n u se d t o s t ri p t he o ve rb ur de n f ro m a m i ne .

W it h t he c on st ru ct io n o f a 4 . 0 00 -t on c on ce nt ra ti ng m il l a t Ma gn a a nd a

l ar ge s me lt er a t G a rf ie ld i n 1 9 06 . t he U ta h C op pe r C om pa ny n ow h ad t he l ar ge st

c op pe r- re du ci ng f ac il it ie s i n th e wo rl d. B y t ha t t i me t he e q ui pm en t a nd

f ac il it ie s a t t he m i n e i nc lu de d 1 1 s te am s ho ve ls . 2 1 l oc om ot iv es . 1 4 5 s t ri p pi ng

d um p c ar s. a nd 1 6 m il es o f r ai lr oa d t ra ck ag e. I n 19 10 J o hn D . R oc ke fe ll er . w ho

v is it ed t he f ac il it ie s t o b uy ou t B os to n C on so li da te d p ro pe rt ie s. v ie we d t he

b ee hi ve o f a c ti vi ty c re at ed b y t he n um er ou s s te am s ho ve ls r es tl es sl y w or ki ng t o

t ea r t he g re en o re f ro m t he t wo d oz en t er ra ce s t ha t l in ed t he m o un ta in f ro m i ts

b as e t o t he t op . E xc it ed ly h e e xc la im ed . " It 's t he g r ea te st i nd us tr ia l s ig ht


16/88


17/88

f ar g re at er e co no mi c i mp or ta nc e t ha n g o ld o r s il ve r. o r f or t ha t m at te r. o f

g ol d a nd s il ve r c om bi ne d. T he e l ec tr if ic at io n o f ou r h om es a nd i nd us tr ie s i n

t hi s c en tu ry . a nd t he m u sh ro om in g o f t h e a ut om ob il e i nd us tr y. h av e c au se d a

h un dr ed fo ld i nc re as e i n th e c op pe r i nd us tr y. A nd U ta ha ns h av e p la ye d a

s ig ni fi ca nt r ol e i n th is s tu nn in g g ro wt h. T he f or ma ti on o f U ta h C op pe r i n

1 90 3. t he c on st ru ct io n o f t h e h ug e 2 . 00 0- to n- pe r- da y c on ce nt ra to r a t G a rf ie ld .

t he f in an ci al a nd t ec hn ic al s uc ce ss o f t h e ma ss p ro du ct io n e xt ra ct io n a nd

p ro ce ss in g o f t h e d is se mi na te d o re i n Bi ng ha m. l ed i mm ed ia te ly t o ef fo rt s t o

w or k l ow -g ra de ' po rp hy ry d e po ts i n Ne va da . A ri zo na . N ew M ex ic o. A nd l at er i n

C hi le . t he C on go . a nd o th er p ar ts o f t he wo rl d. W it h a dv an ci ng t ec hn ol og y. i n

w hi ch U ta h C op pe r p la ye d a n i mp or ta nt r ol e. d ep os it s o f s t il l l ow er g ra de c ou ld

b e w or ke d p ro fi ta bl y. B y t he 1 96 0s t he B i ng ha m m in es w er e p ro fi ta bl y w or ki ng

o re t ha t w as l es s t ha n 1 pe rc en t m et al . E qu al ly r ev ol ut io na ry w as t he

d ev el op me nt o f t h e f lo ta ti on p ro ce ss w hi ch e nh an ce d r ec ov er y a s mu ch a s 5 0

p er ce nt . E le ct ri c s ho ve ls r ep la ce d s te am ; h ea vy -d ut y. r ub be r- ti re d D ie se l

t ru ck s r ep la ce d t ra in s. T he h u ge c on ce nt ra ti ng p la nt s. e le ct ri c g en er at in g

p la nt s. a nd f lo ti ll as o f e x pe ns iv e e qu ip me nt h ad f ac il it at ed a nd a cc el er at ed

t he e xt ra ct io n o f s ix m i ll io n t on s o f p r ec io us m et al a nd c on ve rt ed t he r ic he st

h il l o n e a rt h i nt o t he r ic he st h ol e o n e ar th .

d we ll er s h ad b ee n b le ss ed .

P er ha ps t he m os t d ra ma ti c e vo lu ti on i n Ut ah 's c op pe r i nd us tr y o cc ur re d

d ur in g W or ld W ar I I. w he n c op pe r p ro du ct io n a t B in gh am t ot al ed 7 50 m i ll io n

p ou nd s i n 1 9 43 . a nd r ep re se nt ed a lm os t o ne -t hi rd o f t he F re e W o rl d' s o ut pu t o f

n ew ly -m in ed c op pe r. T he re w er e a ls o m a jo r i nc re as es i n de ma nd a t t h e en d o f

t he w ar in 1 94 6. an d a ls o d ur in g t he 1 950 s. T he n ew p ol ing f urn ac es a t t he

G ar fi el d c op pe r s me lt er a nd t he n ew r ef in er y a t G ar fi el d. c on st ru ct ed i n


18/88

1 95 1- 19 52 . p ro du ce d r ef in ed c op pe r. a p ro du ct r ea dy f or f ab ri ca ti on . U ta h n ow

h ad a n i n t eg ra te d i nd us tr y f ro m t h e m in e t hr ou gh m il li ng . s me lt in g. a nd r ef in in g.

D es pi te d ec li ni ng c op pe r p ri ce s. a cc el er at ed f or ei gn c om pe ti ti on . a nd l ab or

p ro bl em s. K en ne co tt a nn ou nc ed . i n 19 63 . a $ 10 0 m il li on f ou r- ye ar p ro gr am o f

e xp an si on a t t h e B i ng ha m m in e. t he G a rf ie ld -A rt hu r m il ls . a nd t he G a rf ie ld

s me lt er . T hi s m ad e p os si bl e a 2 0 p er ce nt i nc re as e i n or e p ro du ct io n a nd g ri nd in g

f ac il it ie s. a n ew p re ci pi ta ti on p la nt . a nd c ha ng es i n sm el ti ng m et ho ds .

A s im il ar e xp an si on o f t he A n ac on da C op pe r C om pa ny a t C ar r' s F or k. f iv e

m il es e as t o f T o oe le . w as b eg un t o p ro vi de a n ew m in in g a nd m il li ng c om pl ex .

c os ti ng s om e $ 20 0 m il li on . w hi ch w ou ld e xp lo it t he r ic h d e p os it s o f c op pe r.

m ol yb de nu m. g ol d. a nd s il ve r i n th at l oc at io n. T he f al li ng p ri ce o f co pp er h as

f or ce d t he c om pa ny t o c ea se i ts o pe ra ti on s f or t h e p r es en t. b ut o bs er ve rs h op e

t hi s w il l b e o nl y a t e mp or ar y s et ba ck .

M os t o f t he c op pe r t ha t w e u se i n o u r a u to mo bi le s. a ir cr af t. p lu mb in g.

e le ct ri c w ir in g. a nd c om pu te rs h as g on e t hr ou gh f ou r b a si c p ro ce ss es -- mi ni ng .

c on ce nt ra ti ng . s me lt in g. a nd r e f in in g- -b ef or e b ei ng m an uf ac tu re d i nt o t he

p ro du ct s w e u se . A s c on tr as te d w it h t he a n ci en t m in in g o f ve in s i n C yp ru s

( fr om w hi ch w e g et t he n am e o f c op pe r) . A fr ic a. B ri ta in . a nd I nd ia . J ac kl in g

i nt ro du ce d t he o p e n- pi t a pp ro ac h. i n w hi ch t he o v er bu rd en w as r em ov ed a nd t he

c op pe r- be ar in g r oc k wa s t he n b la st ed a nd t ra ns po rt ed f or p ro ce ss in g. A ft er i t

i s mi ne d. t he o re i s t h en c ru sh ed a nd g ro un d i nt o p o wd er a nd c on ce nt ra te d.

t hr ou gh a f lo ta ti on p ro ce ss . i nt o a ma te ri al o f 15 t o 4 0 pe rc en t c op pe r. I n

t hi s f or m t he c op pe r i s t he n m e lt ed i n f ur na ce s a nd t he r es ul ti ng u nf in is he d

m et al li c p ro du ct o r " ma tt e" i s po ur ed i nt o a v at w he re t he i mp ur it ie s a re

r em ov ed . T he r es ul t i s b li st er c op pe r. w hi ch i s 9 9. 5 t o 9 9. 8 p er ce nt p ur e

copper.


19/88

B ut t he p ro du ct s ti ll m us t g o t hr ou gh o ne m or e s te p t o r en de r i t su it ab le

f or m an uf ac tu re . a nd t ha t i s r ef in in g i t t h ro ug h a n e le ct ro -c he mi ca l p ro ce ss .

a ft er wh ic h i t wi ll en d u p 9 9. 99 p erc en t p ur e. On ly th en is i t rea dy f or sa le

t o m an uf ac tu re rs a nd o th er b uy er s.

R ec en t a dv an ce s i n te ch no lo gy h av e s om ew ha t m od if ie d t hi s p r o ce ss b y

a do pt in g a pr oc ed ur e t ha t r ed uc es c os ts b y " s tr ea ml in in g" t he f ou r s t ep s. u si ng

w ha t i s ca ll ed t he S XE W m et ho do lo gy . B ut n ot e ve n a ma jo ri ty o f Ut ah c 09 pe r

c an b e p ro ce ss ed i n t hi s m an ne r.

M ea nw hi le . p ro du ct io n c on ti nu ed t o m ou nt . T he Mi ne ra l R es ea rc h L ab or at or y

a t t he U ni ve rs it y o f U ta h w as i na ug ur at ed i n 1 95 4 t o ev ol ve i mp ro ve me nt s i n t he

h ar ve st in g o f Bi ng ha m c op pe r' s b y- pr od uc ts -- go ld . s il ve r. m ol yb de nu m. p al la di um .

a n d p l a ti n u m.

T he 1 95 0s a nd 1 96 0s w er e e sp ec ia ll y r ew ar di ng . C op pe r a nd c op pe r

b y- pr od uct s we re i n hea vy de ma nd . Pr ic es . w hi ch ha d b ee n 14 c ent s a p ound in

19 46 at t he end o f Wo rl d Wa r II. r os e t o 2 4 c en ts i n 1 95 1 a nd on up t o 4 2 c ent s

in 1 95 6. Pr ic es de cl ine d t o 2 6 ce nts i n 1 958 . but ro se ag ain to 3 6 c ents i n

19 66 . and e ve n re ac he d 77 c ent s in 19 74 . Th e B ing ha m Min e wa s a m ajo r p il lar

i n U ta h' s e co no my . e mp lo yi ng n ea rl y 8 .0 00 p er so ns d ur in g i ts p ea k y ea rs i n t he

l at e 1 96 0s a nd e ar ly 1 97 0s . K en ne co tt p ut n e ar ly $ 20 4 m il li on p er y e ar i nt o

t he s ta te 's e co no my b y m ea ns o f i ts p a yr ol l. p ai d a no th er $ 22 m il li on i n t ax es .

a nd p ur ch as ed a nn ua ll y a n a ve ra ge o f a bo ut $ 16 8 m il li on i n Ut ah g oo ds a nd

s er vi ce s d ur in g t he s am e y ea rs .

B ut p ro bl em s w er e d ev el op in g. N ew b ed s o f c op pe r w er e b ei ng w or ke d u nd er

i mp ro ve d. l ow -c os t t ec hn ol og y i n A fr ic a a nd S ou th A m er ic a. E mp lo ye es c am e t o b e

r ep re se nt ed b y t he U ni te d S te el W or ke rs o f Am er ic a. a s tr on g. c en tr al iz ed . a nd

w el l- fi na nc ed u ni on w it h p ol ic ie s a nd p r ac ti ce s d ev el op ed i n a q ui te d if fe re nt


20/88

i nd us tr y. T he c om pa ny . f ou nd i ts el f u nd er t he n ec es si ty o f g ua ra nt ee in g c on ti nu ed

e mp lo Y me nt t o wo rk er s d is pl ac ed b y t h e i nt ro du ct io n o f ne w t ec hn ol og ie s a nd

m od er ni za ti on . F in al ly . w it h a de cl in e i n co pp er p ri ce s f ro m mo re t ha n $ 1 pe r

p ou nd i n 1 98 0 t o 6 5 c en ts i n 1 98 5 Ke nn ec ot t c lo se d t he B in gh am M in e. l ea vi ng o n

t he p ay ro ll o nl y a s e cu ri ty f or ce o f 2 40 p eo pl e a t t he m in e a nd a s ma ll s ta ff

a t h e a dq u a rt e r s.

M an y o bs er ve rs p re di ct ed t he d ea th o f Am er ic an m in in g. R ob er t W oo dy . o ur

T ri bu ne r ep or te r. w ho w as n ot s o p es si mi st ic . w as a mu se d w he n t he A m er ic an

M in in g C on gr es s. i n it s 1 9 85 c on ve nt io n i n S an F r an ci sc o. i na ug ur at ed i ts f ir st

" pr ay er b re ak fa st "- -a s ta rt li ng i nn ov at io n f or t he n or ma ll y f ei st y a nd i rr ev er en t

m in in g c om mu ni ty . W as t hi s a s ig n o f th ei r d es pe ra ti on ? D id t he ir s al va ti on

d ep en d o n pr ay er ? T hi s y ea r ( 19 87 ). m ee ti ng i n Sa n F ra nc is co a ga in . t he M in in g

C on gr es s r ep ea te d i ts p r ay er b re ak fa st -- th is t im e. W oo dy t ho ug ht . t o t ha nk G od

i ns te ad o f t o i mp lo re . f or Ke nn ec ot t w as n ow p ro du ci ng c op pe r a ga in a nd m i ni ng

c om pa ni es a ll ov er t he n at io n h ad r ea ch ed b ol d n ew a gr ee me nt s w it h t he ir w or k

f or ce a nd h ad o nc e m or e s ta rt ed t o d ig . m il l. s me lt . a nd r ef in e.

A y ea r a go . K en ne co tt . b y t ha t t im e h av in g b ec om e a p ar t o f S ta nd ar d O il

o f O h io . o ff er ed t o i nv es t $ 45 0 m il li on i n a m od er ni za ti on p ro gr am i f t h e u n io n

w ou ld a cc ep t a n a ve ra ge c ut o f $ 3 .2 2 a n h ou r i n w ag es a nd a gr ee t o t he

e li mi na ti on o f t he c o st o f li vi ng a ll ow an ce . T he u ni on m em be rs hi p a cc ep te d

K en ne co tt 's t er ms . I n th e i nt er es t o f c on ti nu ed e mp lo ym en t. t he e mp lo ye es

s ac ri fi ce d m or e t ha n $ 5 an h ou r i n w ag es a nd b en ef it s. I n or de r t o r ai se t he

f un ds f or t h e m od er ni za ti on . K en ne co tt a ls o s ol d i ts R a y M in in g D iv is io n i n

A ri zo na t o Am er ic an S me lt in g a nd R ef in in g C om pa ny a nd i ts i nt er es t i n t he C h in o

M in e i n N ew M ex ic o t o Ph el ps -D od ge . T he r ev en ue f ro m t he se t wo s a le s i s

f ur ni sh in g a lm os t h al f o f t h e B in gh am m od er ni za ti on . w hi ch t he c om pa ny e xp ec ts


21/88

i nd us tr y. T he c o mp an y f ou nd i ts el f u nd er t he n ec es si ty o f g ua ra nt ee in g c on ti nu ed

e mp lo ym en t t o wo rk er s d is pl ac ed b y t h e i nt ro du ct io n o f ne w t ec hn ol og ie s a nd

m od er ni za ti on . F in al ly . w it h a de cl in e i n co pp er p ri ce s f ro m mo re t ha n $ 1 pe r

p ou nd i n 1 9 80 t o 6 5 c en ts i n 1 98 5 Ke nn ec ot t c lo se d t he B i ng ha m M in e. l ea vi ng o n

t he p ay ro ll o nl y a s ec ur it y f or ce o f 2 4 0 p eo pl e a t t he m i ne a nd a s ma ll s ta ff

at headquarters.

M an y o bs er ve rs p re di ct ed t he d ea th o f A me ri ca n m in in g. R ob er t W oo dy . o ur

T ri bu ne r ep or te r. w ho w as n ot s o pe ss im is ti c. w as a mu se d w he n t he A m er ic an

M in in g C on gr es s. i n i ts 1 98 5 c on ve nt io n i n S an F ra nc is co . i na ug ur at ed i ts f ir st

" pr ay er b re ak fa st "- -a s ta rt li ng i nn ov at io n f or t he n o rm al ly f ei st y a nd i rr ev er en t

m in in g c om mu ni ty . W as t hi s a s ig n o f t he ir d es pe ra ti on ? D id t he ir s al va ti on

d ep en d o n pr ay er ? T hi s y ea r ( 19 87 ). m ee ti ng i n Sa n F ra nc is co a ga in . t he M in in g

C on gr es s r ep ea te d i ts p r ay er b re ak fa st -- th is t im e. W o od y t ho ug ht . t o t h an k G od

i ns te ad o f t o i mp lo re . f or Ke nn ec ot t w as n ow p ro du ci ng c op pe r a ga in a nd m i ni ng

c om pa ni es a ll ov er t he n at io n h ad r ea ch ed b ol d n ew a gr ee me nt s w it h t he ir w or k

f or ce a nd h ad o nc e m or e s ta rt ed t o d ig . m il l. s me lt . a nd r ef in e.

A y ea r a go . K en ne co tt . b y t ha t t im e h av in g b ec om e a p ar t o f S t an da rd O il

o f O hi o. o ff er ed t o i nv es t $ 45 0 m i ll io n i n a mo de rn iz at io n p ro gr am i f t h e u ni on

w ou ld a cc ep t a n a ve ra ge c ut o f $ 3. 22 a n h ou r i n w ag es a nd a gr ee t o t he

e li mi na ti on o f t he c o st o f l iv in g a ll ow an ce . T he u ni on m em be rs hi p a cc ep te d

K en ne co tt 's t er ms . I n th e i nt er es t o f c on ti nu ed e mp lo ym en t. t he e mp lo ye es

s ac ri fi ce d m or e t ha n $ 5 an h ou r i n w ag es a nd b e ne fi ts . I n or de r t o r a is e t he

f un ds f or t he m o de rn iz at io n. K en ne co tt a ls o s ol d i ts R a y M in in g D iv is io n i n

A ri zo na t o Am er ic an S me lt in g a nd R ef in in g C om pa ny a nd i ts i nt er es t i n t he C hi no

M in e i n N ew M ex ic o t o Ph el ps -D od ge . T he r ev en ue f ro m t he se t wo s al es i s

f ur ni sh in g a lm os t h al f o f t h e B in gh am m od er ni za ti on . w hi ch t he c om pa ny e xp ec ts


22/88

t o be c om pl et ed w it hi n a y ea r f ro m no w. T he p la n c al ls f or t he i ns ta ll at io n o f

a n i n- pi t c ru sh er . r ep la ce me nt o f t he o ld r ai l o re -h au la ge s ys te m b y c on ve yo r

b el t. t he c on st ru ct io n o f a mo de rn m il l a nd c on ce nt ra to r a t C o pp er to n. a nd t he

l ay in g o f a s lu rr y l in e t o t ak e c o nc en tr at e t o t h e s me lt er .

B in gh am M in e i s n ot w i th ou t a dv an ta ge s. A lt ho ug h t he m in ed c op pe r

r ep re se nt s o nl y . 6 t o . 8 o f o ne p er ce nt o f t h e o re . t he i mm en se s ca le o f t he

o pe n p it m in in g o ff er s p er u ni t e co no mi es s uf fi ci en t t o m ak e t he p ro ce ss in g o f

l ow -g ra de o re p r of it ab le . T he m in e a ls o p ro du ce s a s ig ni fi ca nt a mo un t o f go ld .

m a ki ng K e nn ec o tt t h e t h i rd l ar g es t d om e st i c p ro d uc er o f g o l d. a nd s i g ni fi c an t

a mo un ts o f s il ve r a nd m o ly bd en um . T he c o mp an y n ow e xp ec ts t o ha ve 1 . 80 0

e mp lo ye es p ro du ci ng a t a n a nn ua l l ev el o f 1 85 . 00 0 t on s. T he m od er ni za ti on w il l

m ak e i t. t he c om pa ny b el ie ve s. t he l ow es t c os t p ro du ce r i n th e i nd us tr y. T he

c om pa ny h op es t ha t p ri ce s h av e r ea ch ed b ot to m a nd w i ll n ot f al l f a rt he r. T he y

h av e g oo d r ea so n t o b el ie ve t hi s. b ut i t i s by n o m ea ns a ss ur ed . I f t he c om pa ny

m ai nt ai ns a p e rm an en t w or k f or ce o f 1 . 8 00 p er so ns . i t wo ul d c on tr ib ut e $ 65

m il li on a nn ua ll y t o t he U ta h e co no my i n pa yr ol l. a nd s ig ni fi ca nt a mo un ts i n

t ax es a nd i n pu rc ha se d g oo ds a nd s er vi ce s. I f t he m u lt ip li er i s 3. ~ s t he

c om pa ny b el ie ve s. t hi s w o ul d m ea n t ha t t he p ay ro ll a lo ne w ou ld a dd a lm os t $ 20 0

m il li on a nn ua ll y t o U ta h' s t ot al p er so na l i nc om e: t ha t i s. a bo ut 5 . 40 0 a dd it io na l

j ob s. T he m o de rn iz at io n p ro gr am i s pa rt ic ul ar ly h ea rt en in g t o a s ta te t ha t h a s

h ad s er io us f in an ci al p ro bl em s d ur in g t he p as t f ew y e ar s.

S in ce t hi s i s a h um an it ie s s ym po si um . I wa nt t o cl os e b y p ay in g t ri bu te t o

t he e n tr ep re ne ur s i n ou r s ta te . W he n p eo pl e t al k a b ou t U ta h' s p io ne er s. t he y

t a lk a b ou t t h ei r h a r di ne s s. t h ei r s e lf - re li a nc e. t h ei r l o ya l ty t o wo rt h y i d ea ls .

t he ir h um or u nd er a dv er se c ir cu ms ta nc es . a nd t he ir s ac ri fi ce o f p er so na l a nd

f am il y i nt er es t f or t h e g oo d o f t h e c om mu ni ty . S om e o f t h es e p io ne er s w er e

19


23/88

f r on t ie r sm e n a n d f r on t ie r sw o me n . b u t t h ey w e r e i n du s tr i al p i on e er s a s

w e ll - -p e rs o ns w h o c o n tr i bu t ed t o wa r d o u r i n du s tr i al s t re n gt h -- a s t re n gt h t h at h a s

e na bl ed u s t o s u rv iv e t hr ou gh t wo t er ri bl e w or ld w ar s. s ev er al d ep re ss io ns . a nd

u n fo r es e en n a tu r al c a la m it y . E n tr e pr e ne u rs h a ve p i on e er e d i n m o bi l iz i ng p e op l e

a nd r es ou rc es t o bu il d s oc ie ty a nd i mp ro ve o ur l ev el o f li vi ng . T he re w as

B ri gh am Y ou ng . w ho s ho we d u s h o w t o o r ga ni ze t o c on qu er w ha t w as a lm os t

u ni ve rs al ly r eg ar de d a s a d es er t w as te la nd . H e di re ct ed t he f ou nd in g o f 3 50

s et tl em en ts . t he c on st ru ct io n o f h u nd re ds o f c an al s. t he e re ct io n o f t el ep ho ne

p ol es . t he l ay in g o f r ai lw ay s. a nd t he l a u nc hi ng o f mi ni ng . m an uf ac tu ri ng . a nd

s er vi ce e nt er pr is es t ha t. b y t he t im e o f h i s d e a th i n 1 87 7. p ro vi de d t he b a si s

o f s u pp or t f or m o re t ha n 1 50 . 00 0 p er so ns i n a r e gi on w id el y r eg ar de d a s

uninhabitable.

T he re w as D av id E cc le s. s on o f a h al f- bl in d w oo dt ur ne r a nd h is w if e w ho

l iv ed i n a po ve rt y- st ri ck en s ec ti on o f S c ot la nd . W it h i nd ef at ig ab le e ne rg y a nd

r is k- ta ki ng . D av id s ta rt ed m or e n ew e nt er pr is es a nd a g r ea te r v ar ie ty o f

e nt er pr is es t ha n a n y U t ah an a ft er B ri gh am Y ou ng . T he re w a s a g r ou p o f yo un g

O gd en e ng in ee rs w ho o rg an iz ed t he P io ne er E le ct ri c P ow er C om pa ny w hi ch b ui lt a

d am a cr os s O gd en R iv er : c re at ed a h u ge r es er vo ir f or p ow er . c ul in ar y. a nd

i rr ig at io n p ur po se s: p ro vi de d p ow er f or O gd en a nd S al t L ak e C it y: a nd w er e t he

f ir st i n t he w or ld t o a c co mp li sh l on g- di st an ce t ra ns mi ss io n f ro m a m a n- ma de d am

c on st ru ct ed t o ge ne ra te e le ct ri ci ty . T he re w as J o hn M o se s B ro wn in g i n f i re ar ms .

P hi lo F ar ns wo rt h i n t el ev is io n. a nd D a ni el J a ck li ng i n c op pe r. W e c a n b e p ro ud

o f U ta h' s c on tr ib ut io ns t ow ar d t he i nd us tr ia l s tr en gt h o f t h e na ti on . S om e o f

t hi s c am e f ro m t h e b r il li an ce o f t a le nt ed i nd iv id ua ls ; s om e o f i t w as a p ro du ct

o f o u r g r ou p a p ti t ud e f o r o rg a ni z ed c o op e ra t io n .


24/88

T h e b oo k o f E cc le si a st es i n t h e O l d T e st am en t t el l s a n i nt e re st in g s to ry

a bo ut a l i tt le c it y t ha t w as a tt ac ke d b y a p ow er fu l k in g. H e b ui lt g re at

b ul wa rk s a nd l ai d s ie ge t o t h e c it y. B ut . s ai d t he a ut ho r o f E cc le si as te s.

t he re w as f ou nd w i th in t he c i ty a p o or b ut w i se m an . " He . b y h is w i sd om . "

w ro te t he c h ro ni cl er . " re sc ue d t h e c i ty . " ( Ec c. 9 : 1 4 -1 5. )

W e a re n ot t ol d h o w h e r e sc ue d t he c it y. w he th er i t w as b y a n i nv en ti on . a

s ug ge st i on f or i m pr ov ed o r ga ni za ti o n. o r s i m pl y b y e xt r ao rd in ar y h um a n

m ot iv at io n. B ut i t he lp s u s r em em be r t he p e rs on s a nd a ch ie ve me nt s t ha t h av e

b ro ug ht u s t o o u r p re se nt l ev el o f a cc om pl is hm en t. M ay t he y i n sp ir e u s t o

r en e w o ur d et e rm in at io n t o a s s is t t ho se w ho a r e m a k in g a d di ti on al c on t ri bu ti on s

t ow a rd t he i nd u st ri al a dv a nc em en t o f o ur s ta te a nd n at i on .


25/88

Sources

I n pr ep ar in g t hi s p ap er I h av e b o rr ow ed h ea vi ly f ro m s e ve ra l s ou rc es .

T he y i nc lu de : C la rk C . S pe nc e. " Co pp er m in in g. " i n Ho wa rd R . La ma r. e d T he

R ea de r' s E nc yc lo pe di a o f t h e A me ri ca n W es t ( Ne w Y o rk : T ho ma s Y . C ro we ll C o

1 97 7) . 2 59 -2 60 ; A rt hu r B . P a rs on s. T he P or ph yr y C op pe rs ( Ne w Y o rk : A me ri ca n

I ns ti tu te o f Mi ni ng E ng in ee rs . 1 93 3) a nd T he P or ph yr y C op pe rs i n 1 9 56 ( Ne w

Y or k: A IM E. 1 95 7) ; G ar y B . H an se n. " In du st ry o f De st in y: C op pe r i n Ut ah ." ~

H is to ri ca l Q u ar te rl y 3 1 ( Su mm er 1 96 3) : 2 62 -2 79 ; L eo na rd J . A r ri ng to n. " Ab un da nc e

f ro m t he E ar th : T he B eg in ni ng s o f C o mm er ci al M in in g i n Ut ah . " U ta h H is to ri ca l

Q ua rt er ly 3 1 ( Su mm er 1 96 3) : 1 92 -2 19 ; G ar y B . H an se n. " A B us in es s H is to ry o f t he

C op pe r I nd us tr y o f U ta h. 1 86 0- 19 10 " ( Ma st er 's t he si s. U ta h S ta te U ni ve rs it y.

1 96 3) ; L eo na rd J . A rr in gt on a nd G ar y B . H a ns en . T he R ic he st H ol e o n E ar th : A

H is to ry o f t h e B i ng ha m C op pe r M in e ( Lo ga n: U ta h S ta te U ni ve rs it y. 1 96 3) ; E lr oy

N el so n. " Th e M in er al I nd us tr y: A F o un da ti on o f U ta h' s E co no my . " U ta h H is to ri ca l

Q u ar te rl y 3 1 ( Su mm er 1 96 3) : 1 78 -1 91 ; ' ~o rl d' s R ec or d H il l. " a nd " Da ni el C ow an

J a ck li ng . " F o rt un e 1 ( A p ri l 1 93 0) : 7 1- 74 ; G ar th M an gu m a nd C am il le G ut h. " Th e

F u tu re o f U ta h C op pe r. " U ta h E co no mi c a nd B us in es s R ev ie w 4 7 ( J an ua ry -F e br ua ry

1 98 7) : 1 -1 9; C . D. M ic ha el so n. R em ar ks a t U ta h S ta te U ni ve rs it y. L og an . A pr il

2 0. 1 96 1. t yp es cr ip t i n po ss es si on o f t h e w r it er ; R ob er t H . Wo od y. " Ke nn ec ot t

J o in s O th er M in in g I nt er es t i n Ne w G r o wt h. " S al t L ak e T ri bu ne . S ep te mb er 1 3.

1 98 7; a nd U ta h C op pe r D iv is io n. K en ne co tt C op pe r C or po ra ti on . T he U t a h C op pe r

~ (S al t L ak e C it y. va ri ou s p ri nt in gs) .


26/88

~

A pa pe r f or p res en ta ti on at a M i ni n g S y mp os iu m

by

D r. N an c y J . T a n i g u c hi

T hi s a ct 1 i mi ts t he [ ob ta in ab le J a re a t o an u n re as on a~ lts ma l l a cr ea ge [640 a cr es ], .~ ro hi bi ti ng t he p ru de nti nv es tm en t o f c ap it al i n c oa l- mi ni ng o pe ra ti on s; [ Th ere fo re J t he un sc ru pu lo us h av e [ ca ~ri ed ] t he ir s ch em es o ff ra ud an d co rr up ti on to slJch a n e x te n t as t o a mo un t . to an at io na l s ca nd al . T it le h al Ji ng p as se d, t he G ov er nm en t'p o s se s s e s n o g ua r an ty t h a t a s a pu bl ic u ti l it y t h e c oa l c a nb e m ad e a va il ab le t o su pp ly t he ma rk et; o n lh e c on tr ary ,t he se l an ds h av e a lm os t u ni fo rm ly p as sed i nt o t he h an ds ofs pe cu la to rs o r la rg e c om bi na ti on s c on tr ol l ing t he c u tp ut ort he tr an s po rt at i on . l


27/88

T h e n a m e o f t he c o m p an y , f i r st i n c o rp or at e d i n C o l o ra d o ,

' r ef l e c t ed t he g o al o f t ap pi n g M e x i c a n s l l v e r o n t he ' s ow t h s i d e o f

R i o G r an d e w a s c u t o ff f ro m i t s s ou t he rn r ou t e a n d h ad t o b u i l d

2

w estw ard .

.t

1 87 5 J a n d a c q u i r e d 1 a n d s c 1 a i m e d b y p r o sp e c t o rs a n d h o m e s te a d e r s

a l " a l o n g t h e B o o K C l i f f s , s . t r e tc h i n g f r om ' s o u t h - c e n t r al U t a h

r a i l r oa d c i r c u m v e n t e d t he r e st ri c t i v e C o al A c t o f 1 8 7 3 . I t a l s o

. .. ,. w

. rts rouTe.. ~- -.

,',

The R i o G r a n d e p r o d u c e d i m p r e ss i v e t o n n a g e s f r om i t s s e v e r al


28/88

ail other corporations at its mHc>', including its national4

ril.la!1 th~ Union Pa:ific, IAlhich al.oIInec!i. mine at Scofie1d.

setbac% in 19G4, the United Mine Workers aT America ( UMWA)

5d~r::1 ined to get involved in U tah u ntil after World War 1.


29/88

i t s s m e l t e r a t P u e b l o , b u i l t i n t h e l at e 1 87 0s a n d e x pa n d~ d

t h e r e a f t e r . C oo p e r a t i ng w it ~ ot t e r ' a n ot h e r c:,rpc:-2.~e g:.;.nt, i n

t h e c o n t i n u i n g p r o s p e r i t y o f t he R io G r a n d e d u r i n g t h i s e r a o f6

P e er 1 e ss , M c L e an , L a t u d a , R a i n s , W a tt i s , C a m e ro n a n d o th e rs , a l l

7i n t he y ea rs b ef or e 1 92 0.


30/88

t he c on ti n u i n g p ro s pe ri t y of t he R io G r a n d e d u r i n g t hi s er a o f6

U t ah ' s r ap id i n du s~ r ia l e x p an si o n.

PeH1eS5, t1cLean, Latuda, Ra.ins., !'vattis, Camerc;n and other';, all

7i n t he y ea rs b ef or e 1 92 0.


31/88

prel)ented a s~rni1ar mc,ril::lpo1y fre,m arising and encouragec

8

a t r e ~ e n ~ c u s s u ~ g e i n d e m a ~ d , c o i n c i d i n g w i t h t h e U n j t ~ d States'. 9


32/88

a n d p o i n t s w e s t w a s o n t h ~ D & ~ G . F a c e d w i t h t h i s f u e l c r ~ ~; ~,

T he D en ~e r & R io G r a n d e R ai l r o a d a n d t h e O re g o n S h o r t L i n eR a i 1 r oa .d h a ve a c on t r ac t b y t h e t e rm s o f w h i .c h t h e; ' a gr e e t og i v e p r e f e r e n ~ e t o t he m ov e m e n t o f c oK e o ~ er c o a l M o s t

o f t h a t c o k e b u s i n e s s g o e s t o Bu t t e , M on t a n a , a n d w h i l e t h e

p e c 1 p i e i n S a L t L ak e , a n d i n Uhh a n d i n I d a h o , a n d a l l t h ee th er s ta te s ar e l ea v in g t h ei r h o me s a n d h ud dl i n g t o ge th eri n on e p l a c e o r a n o t h e r t p k ~ ep f r o m f r e e : i n g t o d e a t h , f o r

t h e w an t 0 7 c oa l . T hi s c o k e b u s i n e s s m o v e s w i t h c l o c K -l i K er-egu1o.rity a nd i t r nc ,v es i n vi ol at io n o f the 1 0 .1 ,0 .1 ( I J t i sn o t r i g h t t o K ee p a s~ e1 t e r i n M on t a n a r u n n i n g r i g h t a l o n ga n d the~i? c o 1


33/88

IT!:,no~:,l;t1 i~ VJe.": nCit then brought un~H 1 icense b/ the o:jtil ic

12

S erv i c es C om m i ssi on .


34/88

A ~ m in ; s t r a t i on c lo s e d e a rl y i n 19~Ot W a ~ t i m ~ c o ~ p e ra t : o~ j27~ a: 4

W it h t~~; 5~ ~ sj ~ le ~ e - g j s 1 a t l : ~ ,

15


35/88


36/88

A s t h e m a r K e t b r c ~ e , b e e t s U G a r p r o d u c t i c ~ t u m ~ ' e d , c a n d y p l a n t s19

c l o se d d o w n , a n d t he d e ~ a n d f or c o al d r i e d u p .

to slide thrcll.Jghcll.Jt the thirties, 1,lIith the cint pl?'. te 1 n excHd::ig

28


37/88

T h e i r c a ~ i t a l s p e n t , a n d f a c e d w i t h t h e c o n t i n u i n g d e p r es s i o n ,

21t h e y c l o s e d t h e m : n e i n 1 9 3 1 , n e v e r t o o p e ra t e i t s u c c e s s fu l l y .


38/88

g r o w i n g a g i t a ti o n a b o u t t h e s m o K e n u i s a n c e i n a n d a r ou n d S a l t

23

Lake Cit;l, the la!"gest ma!'Ket TO:" Uhh coal.


39/88

. . . ' ' , " JC : No]J

; : : : . . . . .

,-.... 0

:J ~-(L '-I-

o]J

:.'(.1 L

III

'-- 3:

o J ' 01..:: c:1--

.J~: +'"''" c:..0

::.' u

'1 .Ie:() . . . )

N" T . J

C 1."

: : w L

U tTj

'+


40/88

qt:arter of 3 . I T ; i l 1 i C i1 l ton'~ in 11'47, c'~ VJh;ch t~,=,r'in'~;li c':'!'1~rjbuted

27

r. :ill ion ton~ for 1958 through 1969, with the excel't ien of a2'3


41/88

o ~ S as t~ e G at ~ a ~d b e9 a~ w or ~; n; ~ he S~~g~i s e a m w h i c h t h e t w o2 9

m in e: t ap pe d t h~ ou gh the Cas~:e Gate entrance.

W i th t he d ev el o pm en t oi b ig ,c oa l t ru cK s, E me ry C ou nt y t ru ck m i n es

C o m pa ~ y ; F e tt e ro l f G ~ o u ; o f S om er se t, P en ns yl va ni a; W es te rn30

S ~a ~: s C oa l C om pa ny , a nd U ~a h P ow er a nd L j ~ ht C om ?a ny .


42/88

whE'n, in 1973 a~ c 1974, the ~1idcle East cut i: oil E'xports to the31

w i de d e m a n d , n o t J u s t l o c a l l ~ b u t t o m i x w i th e t h e r c o a l s t o~.")

o J " , -


43/88

o 7 fi ci a~ s , w el co m in g c on ti nu in g e c on om ic g ro w th , s e ~ m ed33

unconcer-ned.


44/88

u!'?r:iu!"'! lric1Htries, consolidated irltc;, a single c,:"ga:'"ii::.tio!'" t:,' : ) cww


45/88

' S em e w el l -p os te d e ng i ne er s l oo k f or wa rd t o t he t im e w h en. r a n e w ] p r o c es s w il l b e e m p l oy ee o n a hu ge s c al e t o

p ro du c e l i qu i d- fu el f or i n te rn al c C


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R.A" Sa1Iin,;er" ReJ':Ji': to tr:e S;?c:-~tar/ of t~i'= :~:~rll:i~f':i;' th;;.~ ~ : : a 1 Y e ~ ~ E ~ d tn c J un e ~ 1 987 (Wa sht ngt on, D .C. : G cv~ ~~~ e,t~';--~nt~rtg Office, 1907), p. 14.

Fct::e:-t At~!2-= . .- ; : , Ret;.;1 c~ ~~:e ~: : ;c~:~;


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R ~ , ' ~".l

Gj~a~~

Str~l}el1, "Coal Situatior . for 19'17," ill S?lt L?Y~ ~~!!"ii!";g1~ (Apri1 30J 1917): 30; "All The tJ~:ne$ of Ci.rbon ShCI,'J

r : w t h ; M u : ~ N e w M a c h i n e r y I n ~ t a l l e d , " [ P r i c a ~ N e w s -; /'~-C.>~ 10 Ma.>' !917.

"~,Jith C,;al Froducers." S~,lt LaKe t 1ining Revie',\1 22


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L e on ar d S h ie ld , ~ r iv at ! i n te ~ ) i~ w ,L e a s e r e c o r ~ c a r d S L - 0 5 1 2 7 9 - C 6 3 1 8 8M a n a g ~ m e n t O f f i c e , p~!C?, U tah .27

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Uta.h, 14 .Jullat 8:reau clf

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N o t i t l e , P e e ~ l e = s C o a l C o m p a n y R e c o r d s , M s : .

9 , 8 ri g ha m Y o un g U n i v e~ s it y S p ec i al S o l l~ c ~ : c ns ,

27: , Box 1 5,~~Ot},:, L''t;h.

n l n ~ o r r n a t i c n O~ D r ag a~ t on H o c~ ~ s G i v ~ n , u S - A , 1 7 J a nu a ry ! ~ 4 ~ ;

U .S ., D ep ar tm en t o f t he I nt er io r, S ur ea u o f t ~e : e~ !u s, C &~ ~~ n

C o wn t/ , U t a h f i gu re s f e r a ~ p r o pr i at e y ea r s ; " P r c du ct i on ," U t a h

I n d us tr i al C o mm i ss io n S i en n ia l R e po rt s f o~ a ~ p rc ; ~ ; & t! l e e r s ;

U . S . , B u r ea u 04 M i ne s, M i n er al Y e ar bo oK f or a pp ro pr ia te y ea rs .

29

"Another Deal In Cc.a1 L~.nCs ~~a.de,n N-A, 15 March 1917; Special

W a r ra n t y D e e d , B o o k 1 0 7 , p . 5 0 6 , W a r ra n t y D e e d , 2 J a ~ u a r y 1 9 6 8 ,

S o o K 1 0 7 , p . 4 2 4 , J u d g m e n t o f D i s i n c o r p or a t i o n , 2 5 J u ~ e 1 9 7 4 , B o c k

1 5 2 , p . 6 8 0 , a l l i n C a r b o n C o u n t y R e c o r d e r s " O H i c e .30 .

" M i n i n g p r o j ec t a p p ro v e d , " S - A , 2 5 J u n e 1980; B ob T an i g u c hi ," C a ~ t l e C o u n t r y C o r n m u n i t : , P r o f i l e , " ( U t a h D e p a r t m e n t o f

S r . ' : p l o y m e n t S e c u r i t y , J u l : ' 1 9 80 ) , p . 4 j "P r o j e c t e d t 1 i n e sC a r b o n / E m e r y C o u n t i e s , " m i m e o g r a p he d ( P r i c e : U t a h J o b S e r v i c e ,1980)

31

A g o od , b r i e f d e sc r i p ti c n o f C P S C " s h i s to ry i s " P o w e r O v e r O i l

P r i c e s , P r o d u c t i o n . M a k e s O P E C a F o r m i d a b l e W o r l d P o w e r ,

C o n o r es s a n d t h e N a t i o n , V o l u m e ~ ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . :

C o n g r e ss i o n a l Q u a r te r l y , I n c . , 1 9 8 1 ) , p p . 5 0 4 , 5 0 5 .

32R o b e r t G i l l e t t e , U N a t i o n a i E : w i r o n m e n t a , l P o l ic;' A c t : S i g n s o ~

B a~ ~l as h A re E V( de nt , S ci en ce 1 76 ~ n o . 40 30 (7 A ~ r il 1 9 7 2) : 3 0 -3 2 ;

I b i d . , " N a t i o n a l E n l. ; i r O i i ! ' 1 \ e n to . l;;c' i c y A c t: l-k l,,1 W e~1 I s I tW o r k i n g ? " S c i e n c e 1 7 6 ~ n o . 4 0 3 1 ( 1 4 A p r i l 1 9 7 2 ) : 1 4 6 - 5 0 j E n ~ r g y

N e e d s C a l l F o r V a s t C c ~ 1 G r o w t h , ~ i n i n g I n f o r r n a t i o ~ o . l S erv i c es ,Key:tone Coal Indu stry Ma~ ual


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" P c~ e~ C ve ~ O il P ri ce s . .. ; " G ui gl ey i nt ~ rv ie w ~ S te v ~ H ei de ,II :: .-.. : t:. ! " " ~ ; ~ . , - . ~ } . . , i:.;::.;.,i " " ~ . r, ,.,............-,..... . -, 1 = ~ , e. C 11 ~ _ /~ ., ,..,.(I"" J. c~:&:I" 1 0 '::~,'

- - .. J' _ .'r' .. I .... _ ... _ .~., T '_ J:'! ,='1 CO C'. - - - , .';--', I -' '-.. -"... .. '-'"- J

"J~b~2S~ f l a e ; : c ~ 1 c:~ntr~J" S - A , 6 J ~ l l 1 98 2 ; " O f ~ i c ia 1s s ay J:j'ess ~~~~; ; ~~ m ; s 1e a~ ~ n g" a nd u F l oc ~ i ng ~ a ts i nt o count!1:':ff~:'-~ln S-~, S June 1~c;:3; t~;i:h.3.el Darne, "Lac,:..: tar sane;

p ~ ~ J e : ~ : s ~ ~ agai~, n S -A ~ 2 8 N o ve m be ~ 1 98 4 ; R c~ : ~~ ~ . Woocy,

u~~tnrng GrotJps Retrea.t !:1~O Each Othir':g Ai":":'iS.,u S.:.-. TI"\!t:,u::e, 6\;;i1'984

.~\


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One day in the summer of 1898, John Wetherill led an archaeological expedition

into a shallow cave in western San Juan County, Utah. There were no Indian ruins in

the cave, and Wetherill, as the party's guide, had only stopped there for lunch to get

out of the sun. However, once inside the cave, he saw something that momentarily

made him forget the heat. In the cave wall was a petrified tree, surrounded by

yellow stains, and just outside the cave entrance was another petrified log whose

carbonaceous material had been almost entirely replaced by vivid yellow, blue, black,

and green minerals.

While the archaeologists prepared lunch, Wetherill dug into the soft ore with his

pocket knife, then, satisfied that his discovery was worth the effort, built a rock

monument by the log outside the cave entrance. Between two flat rocks near the

base of the monument he placed a piece of paper on which he had written his claim

to the minerals located there.

Wetherill never returned to the cave, nor did he record his claim. But he had

fixed the location of his discovery indelibly in his mind. Forty-five years later, when

he knew that his long, eventful career was closing, he described the cave with the

yellow stains to a young friend, Preston Redd. IntrigUed by Wetherill's account, Reddfollowed his directions to the cave in Red Canyon, found the outcrops, and soon

uncovered the rich uranium deposits of the Blue Lizard mine. 1

Wetherill's interest in the petrified logs and associated minerals was not unusual

on the central Colorado Plateau in 1898. For a number of years, explorers,

prospectors, cattlemen, and others had stumbled across mineralized "logs" and other

outcroppings and had submitted samples for assaying in the hope that they contained

valuable metals. Always in the past, the assays had shown only traces of gold, silver,

or other important metals. However, as Wetherill left his home in Mancos, Colorado,

that spring, the Colorado Plateau was abuzz with the news that the riddle of the

strange outcroppings had been solved and that there might be a market for the ore in

the future. Some ore from one of the claims in western Colorado had been given to

Charles Poulot, a graduate of the Paris School of Mines, who was doing technical

work at the Cashin copper mine. When he was unable to complete the chemical

analysis of this strange mineral, he had sent it to his professor, Charles Friedel, in


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Paris, who determined that it contained uranium and vanadium in a new mineral

combination which he named carnotite.2Perfectly timed with the identification of the Colorado Plateau ore was a

demand for uranium and vanadium from a number of sources. Since 1871, small

amounts of uranium occurring as pitchblende in the gold and silver mines of the

Central City mining district of eastern Colorado had found a limited market in

Europe. At first used mainly for pigments in dyes, inks, stained glass, and ceramics,

after 1896 European scientific and technological interest greatly increased the

demand for uranium. Of by far the greatest long-term importance was the discovery

by Antoine Henri Becquerel in 1896 that invisible rays emanated from uranium ore; a

discovery that, among other things, led ultimately to nuclear fission. But, though

scientific fascination with radioactivity and its implications created a limited market

from the outset, of much more immediate economic importance was technological

interest in both uranium and vanadium as ferro-alloys in making fine steel.

Active exploitation of carnotite began in the spring of 1898 when Gordon

Kimball of Ouray, Colorado, obtained a lease on the Copper Prince claim, from which

Poulot's samples had come. By June, Kimball had mined ten tons of carnotite, which

contained 21.5 percent uranium and 15 percent vanadium. By the next spring, local

interest in the new industry was sufficient that when a cowhand named Tom Francis

found some good deposits in McJntyre Canyon, San Miguel County, Colorado, he

precipitated a local rush. By 1906, the known deposits of carnotite extended from

Cold Creek, just south of Price, Utah, to Coal Creek, near Meeker, Colorado.3

The problems of an uncertain market, low ore prices, and the demand for only

high grade ore kept the carnotite industry very unstable from 1898 through 1906, and

between 1906 and 1909, carnotite production was limited almost entirely to that

extracted by claim owners doing the required $100 worth of assessment work each

year. Most of this was stored on the mine dumps against the day the miners felt

would yet come when there would be a good market for their ore.4

Beginning in 1910, the prospects for the miners and large companies alike

appeared to be getting brighter as the demand for carnotite began to accelerate due

to a new, exciting use for one of the elements it contained. Becquerel's discovery in

1896 that uranium would fog otherwise unexposed photographic plates set a number

of scientists to exploring the implications of uranium's radioactivity. Two of these


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scientists, Pierre Curie and his Polish wife, Marie Sklodowska Curie, soon concluded

that pure uranium was much less radioactive than uranium ore, and in 1898 theyproved the existence of a new, highly radioactive element in the ore, which they

named radium.

Almost from the moment of its discovery, a number of the pr

making money out of dirt

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