Cassidy Alexander

The Tintic Mining District

INTRODUCTION

The Tintic Mining District covers a large area surrounding the Tintic Mountains in

central Utah. It is 60 miles south-southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. The area contains over 120

large and small mines, both underground and surface mines. The area being 150 square miles is

divided into the Main Tintic subdistrict and the East Tintic subdistrict. Focused specifically on

the Eureka Zone of the Main Tintic subdistrict, in northeast Juab County, this was the financial

center and area of many of the most productive mines. Eureka started as a mining camp

alongside Mammoth, Diamond and Silver camps in 1869. Eureka is now one of two remaining

towns established, the other being Mammoth. The towns of Silver and Diamond are now

considered Ghost towns as they have not been functioning towns in over 50 years. Eureka

Zone contains Centennial-Eureka Mine, Eureka Hill Mine, Bullion-Beck Mine and Gemini

Mine, which were considered the Big Four for being large, prosperous mines.

The district prospered between 1890-1923 but was hit hard by the Great Depression of

the 1930s. Some of the larger mines continued to work during this time. Alongside Bingham

Mining District, this site is part oldest and largest mining operations. A key factor in the success

of the district is the presence of the transcontinental railroad and the competition that existed

between Union Pacific and Rio Grande.

This area is important for the history of the state of Utah. The Tintic Mining District was

one of the largest and oldest mining operations in the state.

 CONDITION

The site is in poor condition. Many remaining structures have collapsed or been

vandalized. Trespassing is common. Very few safety precautions exist to protect the site or the

visitors which go there. One collapsing structure is surrounded by a fence, however the gate is

open and not locked. An open pit mine is partially surrounded by a small wire fence, though the

pit seems to have been filled. The Tintic Standard Reduction Mill is blocked by only a gate to

prevent cars from entering the area. Numerous people can be found walking around the gate. The

Mill has been heavily painted in graffiti. There can also be found a large concentration of toxic,

heavy metals in the region due to the reduction process. Though the Mill is not included in the

Eureka Zone, this popular landmark from the Tintic Mining District brought about concern.

CRITERION

Criterion A, B & D can apply to the Tintic Mining District.

The Tintic Mining District was not only the site of a boom in the mining industry of early

Utah, but also the site of the Tintic War with the native Utes.

Important figures of the district included John Q. Packard, John Beck, Jesse Knight,

W.W. Chisholm, Walter Fitch and J.R. Finlay.

John Q. Packard, multimillionaire and owner of the the Eureka Hill Mine, funded the

Packard Public Library. Donating a lot and $75,000 to build Salt Lake Citys first public library

in 1898. The library became the Hansen Planetarium in 1965, and was placed on the National

Register of Historic Places in 1979.

John Beck, a millionaire, was owner of Bullion-Beck Mine.

 Jesse Knight, also known as Uncle Jesse was a millionaire and owner of Humbug

Mine. He is also the founder of Knightsville, Utah and Raymond, Alberta. His headquarters,

Knight Block in Provo, Utah was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. His

house, the Jesse Knight House or Knight Mansion also in Provo was added to the National

Register of Historic Places in 1982.

W. W. Chisholm, a millionaire, was owner of the Centennial-Eureka Mine.

Walter Fitch and geologist J.R. Finlay developed the Chief Consolidated Mining Co. and

nearby Fitchville.

The district can provide information about the early processes of mining. This includes

smelting, refining and milling of ore. The location can also provide clues as to the relation

between the ore and the geologic setting.

HISTORY

Starting in December 1869 with the first claim, the Sunbeam claim, people flocked to the

area. The Tintic Mining District was organized in 1869. The mining camps of Diamond, Silver,

Eureka and Mammoth were established the following spring in 1870.

The Native Americans already in the area were resistant to the abundance of people

arriving. The name Tintic was derived from the name of the Ute sub-chief. Relations between the

natives and the settlers were hostile which led to skirmishes and many casualties. This was

known as the Tintic War in 1856. Lacking food, the natives stole cattle from the settlers which

involved killing two men, later killing four more. It is suggested they were renegades from the

tribe; that the Ute body was not responsible for them. The skirmishes ended with a treaty.
 Production was slow at first and ore was sent by wagon to Salt Lake City. However, this

transportation by wagon was expensive. With the introduction of the transcontinental railroad in

1878 came a more prosperous transportation of ore. The railroad, at the time, was being

controlled by Union Pacific. Many disputes arose, the mining camps became furious at the prices

and treatment they received. In 1891, control of the railroad went to the Rio Grande.

Eureka, originally Ruby Hollow, became the financial center for the Tintic Mining

District in 1892. The area consisted of four zones: Eureka Zone, Mammoth Zone, Godiva-Sioux

and Iron Blossom Zone. Each zone contained a number of mines, Eureka Zone included:

Centennial-Eureka, Eureka Hill, Bullion-Beck, Gemini, Ridge and Valley. Despite numerous

mines, four specific mines known as the Big Four included Bullion-Beck, Centennial-Eureka,

Eureka Hill and Gemini, were large, highly profitable mines.

The region was unsuccessful with milling, refining and smelting because of a limited

water source. An 18 mile pipeline was built to supply water to the area. Unsuccessful attempts of

the leaching process occurred in Goshen in 1876 and Miller Mill in 1879. This involved using

acidic solutions to extract metals.

The area prospered between 1890-1926. Between 1878-1912, 384,490 tonnes were

produced. The Great Depression of the 1930s, ended the districts growth, though

major mines continued to operate into the 1940s and 1950s. Virtually no ore was mined after

1960.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

I would study this site in hopes to learn more about the mining, milling, refining and

smelting processes. I would like to observe relations between the geologic setting and the
occurrence of ore. I would also like to study the structures of the mines. Im interested in the

interpretation of the area from early geologists, miners and engineers. Essentially, how did they

know where to dig? How did they go about creating the mines?

METHODS

There are a variety of ways in which the area can be studied. Safety precautions would be

above all in the method of excavation. Equipment just to provide safe exploration of the mines

would be needed. I would place all mines on a grid, drones and potentially LiDAR could assist

with this. Map out the mines themselves, preferably three-dimensional. I would avoid using

heavy machinery in the mine, so machinery must be mobile and lightweight. Metal detectors

could be of some use, however already existing metal ores may interfere with searching for

metallic artifacts. Ground-penetrating radar may be useful in tilling piles and surface activity, but

would be unavailable for the mines. It would be necessary to have a team, due to the unstable

ground and old mines. The presence of a mining engineer may be critical for safety.

CONCLUSION

The area surrounding Eureka, Utah, is a fascinating step into the past. The people who

live in the area have adapted to living in an area which is, essentially, cut off from the world.

Everywhere you go you are reminded of the brilliance of the past when the town was a booming

mining town. The buildings are old and crumbling. The town sits in the midst of four major

mines which were the largest in the area and produced significant amounts of ore and other

minerals. The mine made a variety of people very wealthy and it has made a profound impact on

the state of Utah as these owners ventured into other areas when the mine shut down. The mines
remain there in a state of disarray and it is likely there continues to be a grand amount of

resources still in the mine. Mining such materials, however, would be difficult as the mines are

difficult to get to and the ground is unstable. The land surrounding the mines is beautiful and

shows the magnificence of our state. Visiting the area should be on every Utahns list.

REFERENCES

Morris, Hal T, and A P Mogensen. Tintic Mining District, Juab and Utah Counties,

Utah.Guidebook to Mineral Deposits of Southwestern Utah, 1978,

archives.datapages.com/data/uga/data/047/047001/41_ugs470041.htm.

National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form. National Park Service,

npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/64000875.pdf.

Strack, Don. Railroads in Utah. Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, Utah Division of State

History, Aug. 2016, heritage.utah.gov/tag/tintic-mining-district.

Tower, George W, and George O Smith. Geology and Mining Industry of the Tintic District,

Utah. Digital Commons, 1987, pp. 609616.,

digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1577&context=govdocs.

Whitney, Orson F. A Year of Calamities. The Making of a State: A School History of Utah,

Deseret News, 1908, p. 84.