Tintic, Apex Standard Mine
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This page was last updated on October 27, 2025.
Overview
(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the Apex Standard mine, as visible in photographs, as well as a general description of the mine, with minimal coverage of the geology and financial returns. Also to establish a timeline using sources not previously readily available.)
The following comes from the USGS Professional Paper 1024, published in 1979, page 104.
The Apex Standard mine is in the central part of the East Tintic district about 1 mile south-southeast of Dividend and less than a quarter of a mile east of the Eureka Standard mine. Prior to the development of the Burgin mine, the Apex Standard was the principal underground development on a group of 143 patented mining claims in the central and southeastern part of the district owned by the Chief Consolidated Mining Co. Since its acquisition by Chief Consolidated, the Apex Standard has been considered an integral part of the company and not a separate subsidiary unit.
The Apex Standard group of claims is a consolidation of several former small mining companies whose early history is not well known. The initial shaft of the property, later to be renamed the Apex Standard No. 1 shaft, was sunk to a depth of 165 ft on the Lincoln claims during the surge in mining activities that followed the discovery of the Iron Blossom ore bodies in 1908. Presumably this underground exploration was in search of the easterly continuation of the Sioux-Ajax fault.
In 1917, during the excitement that followed the discovery of the main Tintic Standard ore body 1 mile to the north, control of the Lincoln claims was acquired by Lewis W. Merriman, Frank Kimball, S. S. Pond, F. W. Brock, Hugh Hefferman, and others who formed the Apex Standard Mining Co. In 1918 and 1919 the existing shaft was deepened to the 900-ft level and prospecting proceeded on the theory that the Tintic Standard ore bodies were part of a linear ore zone similar to those in the main Tintic district. Early in 1921, the original Apex Standard Mining Co. absorbed the adjacent Tintic Zenith, Tintic Eastern, and Tintic Union mining companies, and later that year, full control of the expanded company was acquired by the Chief Consolidated Mining Co., which purchased much treasury stock on the stipulation that the money be used entirely for development and exploration.
During the latter part of 1923 the Chief Consolidated Co. began to sink the Apex Standard No. 2 shaft, completing it in 1924 to a crosscut that had been driven northward at the 900-ft level of the No. 1 shaft. Eight years later the No. 2 shaft was deepened to the 1,100-ft level to intercept ore bodies that had been mined northeastward in the Eureka Standard mine toward the Apex Standard claims. This exploration was only moderately successful, and the mine was inactive from 1936 through the period of World War II.
From 1946 to 1949 the Apex Standard property was under lease to the Newmont Mining Co., who carried out exploration at the 900-ft level south of the No. 1 shaft, after which it again became inactive. Since 1956, the claims have been under lease to the Kennecott Copper Corp., which has developed the Burgin ore body in the north-central part of the property.
The Apex Standard No. 1 shaft is located about 1 mile south-southeast of Dividend. It has a collar elevation of 5,794 ft and is 898 ft deep.
The Apex Standard No. 2 shaft is 1,550 ft north-northwest of the No. 1 shaft. The collar elevation is 5,872 ft, and the shaft is about 1,158 ft deep.
Prior to the discovery and development of the Burgin mine, the Apex Standard mine had produced 13,728 tons of ore.
The Apex Standard Mining company filed its articles of incorporation on May 25, 1917. Lewis Merriman was president and manager, with S. S. Pond as vice president. F. D. Kimball, Frank Birch and James Morman were the additional directors. Lewis Merriman was superintendent of the Yankee Consolidated Mining company. The property comprised the Schwab, East Gold King, and Volcano mining claims. Work was to begin by re-timbering a 160-foot deep on the East Gold King ground. Plans were to sink the main shaft down to 1200 or 1500 feet. The Apex Standard was located southeast of the Tintic Standard. Later, additional mining claims were added: Karren No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, along with "a large number of other East Tintic mining claims" By June 8th, the company held 20 claims, totaling 400 acres. (Eureka Reporter, May 25, 1917; Salt Lake Tribune, June 3, 1917; Salt Lake Herald, June 8, 1917)
(The Apex Standard Mining company was organized on May 26, 1917, and the property was comprised of the Schwab, East Tintic Gold King, Volcanic claims, plus others for a total of 20 claims covering 400 acres. The shaft being worked was 100 feet deep and was located on the East Tintic Gold King claim. Plans were to sink the shaft down 1000 feet to the ore-bearing level. By March 1919, the Apex Standard shaft was down to 600 feet. By August 1919, they were down to the 900-foot level where a large station was to be added. The Chief Consolidated company gained control of the Apex Standard in March 1921 through purchase of controlling percentage of the company stock.)
In January 1919, after an electric hoist and compressor was installed, the shaft was down to the 300-foot level. By late March 1919, the shaft was down to 600 feet. In mid June, the company hit the "live quartz" at the 800-foot level. This, and the heat at the bottom of the shaft were seen as excellent indicators that the ore vein was nearby. In late July, after reaching the 900-foot level, the company announced that a station would be cut and drifting would begin. In early October 1919, after drifting to the north only 100 feet, ore was struck.
In June 1921 the Apex Standard Mining company acquired control of the adjoining Tintic Union and Tintic Zenith mining companies. With the shaft at 900 feet, and drifts running both north and east, the company was developing good ore veins.
February 3, 1922
Control of Apex Standard, East Tintic Consolidated, and Eureka Lily -- "During the past year the Chief Consolidated has acquired substantial interests in East Tintic. Among the properties acquired are the East Tintic Consolidated from the Knight Interests, the Eureka Lily from the Snyder interests and through purchase of treasury stock in the Apex Standard, control or options for the control of the Apex Standard, Tintic Zenith and Tintic Union." (Eureka Reporter, February 3, 1922)
February 13, 1922
"During the past year there has also been acquired control of the shares of the Apex Standard Mining company, an exploratory enterprise in the southeastern part of the district. This company controls several smaller companies in the same section on the ground of which no work has yet been done. In addition, control also has been purchased of the shares of the Eureka Lily Mining company and the East Tintic Consolidated Mining company. No work is at present being done on the last named two properties, but on the Apex Standard a shaft is down 900 feet and drifting work is being done on that level." (Deseret News, February 13, 1922)
December 7, 1945
Chief Consolidated Mining company and the Newmont Mining Corporation signed a lease for the Newmont company to re-open the Chief Consolidated company's inactive Apex Standard mine in East Tintic. The Apex Standard already had two working shafts on the property. Newmont was one of the largest mining companies in the United States, and had just recently acquired a large property in Park City. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 7, 1945)
January 9, 1948
Newmont Exploration, Ltd., has decided to cease operation in the Tintic District. Operations had been continuous on the Apex Standard mine, property of the Chief Consolidated Mining company, since July 1946. The superintendent of the Newmont operation left immediately for a new position in Ouray, Colorado. (Eureka Reporter, January 9, 1948)
January 9, 1949
The E. J. Longyear Company has taken over the lease of the Chief Consolidated's Apex Standard property from the Newmont Mining Corporation. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 9, 1949)
June 26, 1949
"Newmont Mining Corporation took over the Apex Standard owned by Chief Consolidated and did 2245 feet of churn drilling and 1580 feet of drifting. Neither of these operations resulted in any great discovery but Newmont and International spent their own money to develop Chief Consolidated ground." (Deseret News, June 26, 1949.)
1981
"Sunshine Mining Co. reported spending $3.3 million on exploration and development plans for the Burgin Mine to the East Tintic mining district, Utah County. Four of five drill holes indicated high grades of mineralization and identified three major ore bodies: the Main Burgin, Eureka Standard, and Middle Fault. A new headframe was constructed, and 1,000 feet of the Apex No. 2 shaft was rehabilitated for access to the western section of the mine." (Mineral Yearbook, 1981, page 492)
July 21, 1981
In early 1981 Sunshine started reconditioning the Apex No. 2 Shaft for re-entry into the mine. (Eureka Reporter, July 21, 1981)
September 18, 1981
"Headframe and hoist are nearly in place at the Apex No. 2 shaft on the west end of the Burgin Mine where Sunshine Mining Co. is looking for lead-zinc targets. The big problem at Apex No. 2 has been the underground water flow. It was flow of super heated water and bad ground conditions which finally persuaded Kennecott to toss in the towel at the Burgin Mine in 1978." (Eureka Reporter, September 18, 1981)
November 1982
After completing a two-year program of exploratory drilling, in November 1982 Sunshine began its own operations to develop the Burgin ore body by extending the Apex No. 2 shaft to a lower level, then drifting northeast to reach the ore body.
(There was no production during this period. The only activity was Sunshine working to rehabilitate the surface facilities at the Apex No. 2 shaft, along with the shaft itself. Sunshine was also working to put the surface facilities at the Burgin site back into operating condition, including the Burgin mill that had been built by Kennecott in 1966, and expanded in 1975.)
September 23, 1983
The approach to the Burgin lode taken by Kennecott through the old Burgin shaft, had been like trying to mine a sponge. The fractures and faulting in the east part of the ore body and the disintegration of the limestone structures had presented Kennecott with horrendous water and earth collapse problems. The Sunshine company took over the operations earlier this year, and will sink the Apex No. 2 by another 400 feet to the water level, then drift northeast to the ore zone." (Eureka Reporter, September 23, 1983)
May 1998
"In mid-May 1998, the rehabilitation of the Burgin Mine's Apex No. 2 shaft was completed." (Eureka Reporter, September 11, 1998)
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