Burgin Mine in Tintic
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This page was last updated on October 29, 2025.
Overview
(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the of the Burgin mine as originally developed by Kennecott Copper's Bear Creek Mining company, as visible in photographs, as well as a general description of the mines, with minimal coverage of the geology and financial returns. Also to establish a timeline using sources not previously readily available.)
The Burgin mine was known as a lead, silver and zinc mine, and was located about 1-1/2 miles from the Trixie mine, which was known as a silver and gold mine. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 21, 1975)
The following comes from USGS Professional Paper 1024, published in 1979, page 114.
The Burgin ore zone was discovered in 1958 by the Bear Creek Mining Co., exploration arm of Kennecott Copper Corp., largely on the basis of geologic studies made earlier by the U.S. Geological Survey. Many years prior to the Geological Survey's activities, the conspicuous zone of the Burgin No. 1 shaft area had attracted moderate attention from prospectors, and several shallow workings were sunk on iron-stained fissures. The largest of these workings, the Chief Oxide shaft, was completed to a depth of about 75 feet in the early 1920s. This shaft was located about 50 feet west of the present Burgin No. 1 shaft, and although no discoveries were made from it, the area became known as the Chief Oxide Zone.
In the 1920s, drifts were driven from the Apex Standard mine by the Chief Consolidated Mining company. No commercial ore bodies were discovered. With the onset of the Great Depression in 1929, the exploration eforts stopped. After World War II, the Newmont Mining Co. became interested in the Chief Oxide area as a result of the Geological Survey's work in the East Tintic district and carried out a program of underground rehabilitation and drifting in the Apex Standard mine. Excessive heat, high operating costs, and failure to discover large ore bodies, however, led Newmont to abandon this program in 1948.
The Geologic Survey returned to the Chief Oxide area in 1949 and began an exploratory drilling program, and in 1954 published its findings. Several companies became interested in those findings. Among those examining these data was the Bear Creek Mining Co., exploration subsidiary of the Kennecott Copper Corp., which was actively pursuing an exploration program in the Main Tintic district at that time.
In September 1956, a unit lease agreement was negotiated between Bear Creek and several of the principal land owners in the East Tintic district, and an active program of exploration including diamond drilling and shaft sinking was begun without delay.
The Burgin No. 1 shaft was sunk between January 30 and July 20, 1957, and was bottomed at the permanent water table at a depth of 1,110 feet. An exploration level was established 1,050 feet below the surface; drifting and diamond drilling were then undertaken to locate and explore the ore body.
Beginning in 1960, an attempt to reach the high-grade ore zone below the water table was undertaken by means of an inclined winze sunk from the 1,050 level. This effort was abandoned after many months of frustrating work because of highly unstable ground and heavy flows of hot ground water. Later, in 1962, a vertical winze (No. 2 winze) and a short sublevel drift driven from it confirmed the presence of high-grade lead-zinc-silver ore.
The Burgin No. 2 production shaft was sunk during 1963-65 to a depth of 1,331 feet, where sinking was terminated because of heavy inflows of hot ground water. It has been the principal production and working shaft of the mine. Since 1968 the mine has produced 500-800 tons of ore per day except during periods of labor negotiations.
During the early part of 1972, the No. 1 shaft was deepened to the 1,300 level, and a connection was made with the No. 2 shaft. The total depth of the No. 1 shaft in 1976 was 1,278 feet. In 1975, a third vertical opening, to be chiefly used for mine ventilation, was drilled upward from the 1,300 level to the surface at a point about midway between the No. 1 and No. 2 Burgin shafts. This ventilation shaft is approximately 7 ft in diameter.
As initially planned, the Burgin Mine would consist of a new (Burgin No.2) shaft which would have production levels at 1,050 feet, 1,200 feet and 1300 feet. A pumping station and associated water storage would be installed at 1,350-foot and the shaft would be terminated at the 1500-foot level. Rehabilitation of the near-by Apex No. 2 shaft to the 1,000-foot level and two connecting drifts would be provided for escape and ventilation purposes. Raise bored holes, winzes and raises would complete the main mine facilities.
When opened in 1958, the Burgin mine was owned by the Chief Consolidated Mining Co., and leased by Chief to Kennecott. Kennecott developed its extraction operations using two new shafts, known as Burgin No. 1 and Burgin No. 2. In 1969 Kennecott opened the nearby Trixie mine, leasing the location from South Standard Mining Co. Kennecott gave up the two leases in mid 1978 due to high costs, including pumping to fight the increasing water levels in the mines.
Burgin Mine
1955
Bear Creek Mining Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Kennecott Copper, was active in the Tintic district in 1955, in the form of exploratory drilling of the "Chief Oxide Zone" (the formal name for the region where the Burgin mine is located). Their initial work was managed by Mr. William Burgin. Mr. Burgin died in an airplane crash in 1955 and the eventual Chief Oxide Zone discovery was named in his honor. In 1957 what is now the Burgin No.1 shaft was sunk some 50 feet east of the original "Chief Oxide" shaft where surface drilling had begun.
(William H. Burgin died on October 6, 1955 in the crash of United Airlines DC-4 on the slopes of Medicine Bow Peak in southeastern Wyoming. Burgin was a resident of Denver and was among the 21 Utah residents that also died in the crash. The flight, with 61 passengers and a crew of three, had originated in Denver and was bound for Salt Lake City, and was 20 miles off course. The aircraft was completely destroyed, with no survivors.)
(Burgin was a geological engineer and was the district geologist in charge of exploration for the Rocky Mountain Region of Bear Creek Mining company, a subsidiary of Kennecott Copper.)
Centennial Development Company, a contractor working for Kennecott, began work on sinking the Burgin mine shaft by constructing the shaft collar on January 30, 1957, and reached the water table some 1,110 feet below on July 20, 1957. The 1050 level was established approximately 20 feet above the water level and an exploratory cross-cut was sent off in a westerly direction. After tunneling for 1300 feet, an important fault and vein of high value lead-zinc-silver ore was discovered.
1958
When opened in 1958, the Burgin mine was owned by the Chief Consolidated Mining Co., and leased by Chief to Kennecott. Kennecott developed its extraction operations using two new shafts, known as Burgin No. 1 and Burgin No. 2.
Kennecott continued exploration to determine the limits of the newly discovered ore veins, and the projected reserves exceeded expectations. "A production decision was made in 1963. The plan called for 75 tons per day of direct shipping ore initially, rising to full production of 500 tons per day by 1965." In 1965, at the 1330-foot level, an inflow of water at 140 degrees F, with a flow of 1400 gallons per minute was encountered. Despite intensive dewatering attempts, the flow was not stopped. The problem of water in the Burgin mine continues to today.
The thrust fault was intersected by horizontal drifts from the main shaft some 1,300 feet west of the shaft. Drifts were expanded into and down the fault and intersected numerous zones of lead-zinc oxide and lead carbonate. For the next three years drilling above and below the 1,050 level continued to increase the lead-zinc silver deposit that became the Burgin Mine.
1963
A production decision was made in 1963. The plan called for 75 tons per day of direct shipping ore initially, rising to full production of 500 tons per day by 1965. The basis of the positive decision was 1,330,000 tons of lead - silver – zinc ore blocked out by drilling from the 1,050 level. As a matter of some significance, at the time of the decision some water flow during mining was anticipated, initially 3,000 to 4,000 gallons per minute, decreasing to 2,000 to 3,000 gallons per minute during production.
Kennecott produced it first ore from the Burgin mine in June 1963. (Deseret News, September 18, 1963)
During 1965, with the Burgin No.2 shaft at 1,330 feet, an inflow of 140°F water at 1,400 gallons per minute was encountered in the southeast corner of the shaft. Despite intensive dewatering attempts, the flow was not stopped. The mining plane was changed and production would commence from the 1,200-foot level and wells would be sunk from the same level to dewater the workings.
Prior to this all dewatering had been through a single, deep well north of the shaft. The installation of wells on the 1200 level met with only limited success and the ore-body was not adequately dewatered. It wasn't until a second surface well came on-line that the shaft inflow was reduced, and the workings became moderately drier.
During 1966, a 500 ton per day flotation concentrator was authorized and installed at the Burgin Mine. This mill was under construction prior to a miner's strike in July 1967 and was completed shortly after the strike was over in April 1968.
In 1967, Kennecott was informed by the U.S. Steelworkers of America, that they intended to negotiate one contract for all workers and the Burgin Mine, under Bear Creek Mining, was to be part of this negotiation. By mid July, negotiations had not been successful and a general strike commenced. This strike continued until April of 1968 and had a huge influence on all subsequent operations.
During the miner's strike in 1967-1968, the limited personnel on site were not able to keep ahead of this increased flow. The damage to the working areas of the mine was significant. Mining continued, from areas not affected by the unsafe conditions due to high water levels.
During the strike in 1967-1968, the water inflow had increased to 4,400 gallons per minute. A small sump on 1200 level pumped water to the much larger 1050 level sumps, (which had replaced the planned 1350 pumping level). From the 1050 level, the water was pumped to the surface for disposal. The few supervising staff available to work during the strike were simply overwhelmed with the tasks needed to maintain and improve mineability. As a result, the mine conditions degenerated considerably, creating wet, unstable ground in all of the existing and immediate future stoping areas. Working areas collapsed. A back-log of sand filling, immediately prior to the strike, created stress on a lot of the more important pillars with resulting damage to adjacent working stopes and future pillar recovery efforts.
Dewatering of the Burgin mine was by use of of one surface well, and another well at the 1200-foot level. In 1967 the flow was 4400 gallons per minute. In 1969, the flow was 5200 gallons per minute. The flow continued to increase, and in 1970 the flow was 10,000 gallons per minute of mildly saline water that was 150 degrees F. In the 1980s the flow was reported as an average of 12,400 gallons per day. Plans were in place in 2017 to accommodate up to 22,400 gallons per day.
June 12, 1970
Concerning Tintic Standard Mining company's East Tintic Unit, "Kennecott, the operator, has pushed May production to more than 18,000 tons of lead-zinc-silver ore, exceeding expectations. This amount is equal to about 857 tons a working day, of which part went to the 500- ton-a-day mill. The remainder was direct shipping ore. Kennecott operations have been hampered by a 1967-1968 strike and subsequently by hot water and underground mud flows. Production now comes from the Burgin Mine. No significant developments have occurred at the Trixie shaft and target area one mile to the southeast, reported Mr. Raddatz." (Eureka Reporter, June 12 1970)
March 1973
Ore from the Burgin mine was being shipped to the Bunker Hill smelter in Idaho. Ore from the Trixie mine was being shipped to the Anaconda smelter near Butte, Montana. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 15, 1973)
1978
"The Burgin sits atop a large geothermal system, with a mean temperature of 135 degrees, 150 in some places. Back in 1978, Kennecott owned the Burgin and was pumping 9,000 gallons of water per minute to evaporation ponds down the hill. The electric bill was just too much, and the Burgin was like an orphan child to the south that no one at Kennecott, whose main aim was copper anyway, wanted to deal with, so they decided to turn the pumps off and pull out of the Burgin. Actual drilling took place 165 feet below the water table and when they flipped the switch on the Burgin pumps, the drilling area filled up with water in less than 24 hours." (Provo Daily Herald, February 13, 2000)
April 16, 1978
"For years, Kennecott has struggled with scalding water flows and mud slides. The mine has operated profitably only in a few years. It lost money last year." (Salt Lake Tribune, April 16, 1978)
June 15, 1978
New Lease Agreement -- The owners of property being leased to Kennecott were the so-called Tintic Group -- South Standard Mining company, Eureka Standard Mining company, and Amax-Arizona Inc. -- and Chief Consolidated. Under the agreement announced on Wednesday June 15, 1978, at the South Standard annual meeting, Kennecott would pay each of the companies $15,000 a year, whether or not operations continue. In addition, Kennecott would pay a 7.5 percent royalty on yearly net smelter returns, based on each company's pro-rata interest in the operation. The new agreement took effect on June 1st, with the Tintic Group receiving 2/3 of the returns from the Trixie mine (because it was on South Standard property) and Chief receiving 1/3. The returns from the Burgin mine were the opposite, with the Chief company receiving 2/3 of the returns (because it was located on Chief property) and the Tintic Group receiving 1/3. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 16, 1978; June 17, 1978)
July 1978
The Burgin mine was shut down in July 1978 due to water and unstable rock problems. (Eureka Reporter, November 10, 1978)
November 10, 1978
Kennecott was moving ahead with plans to re-open the Water Lily shaft. (Eureka Reporter, November 10, 1978)
(In later documents the Water Lily shaft was also known as Chief Consolidated's Homansville property.)
(Read more about the Water Lily shaft, as part of it being reactivated in 1978 and 1983)
In mid-1978, Kennecott gave up the two leases (Burgin and Trixie) due to high costs, including pumping to fight the increasing water levels in the mines. "The Burgin, a lead-zinc and silver producer, was closed in mid-1978. Still closed down, it is under lease of the Sunshine Mining Co." (Eureka Reporter, April 8, 1983)
(Read more about the Burgin mine after Kennecott gave up the unit lease in 1978)
More Information
- Tintic -- An article about the history of railroads and mining in Tintic.
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