Eureka Standard Mine

Index For This Page

This page was last updated on October 26, 2025.

Overview

(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the Eureka 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.)

Eureka Standard (1916-1983)

The Eureka Standard Mining comany was organized in November 1916. The next year, after buying several adjacent mining claims and much smaller mining companies, its was reorganized as the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company.

The company continued to absorb smaller companies throughout the 1920s and 1930s, but closed in 1940 after running out of economically available ore. From then on it became a company that managed its ore reserves, wainting for another company to invest the badly needed funds to explore for more reserves.

The Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company was controlled by the Tintic Standard Mining company majority stock ownership from 1928 until 1974.

In 1974, the adjacent Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company, itself under similar circumstances of exhausted ore reserves, was sold and merged into the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company.

Then a month later, two afiliated companies, Colorado Consolidated Mines company, and the Sioux Mines company, along with the Eureka Standard company, were sold to Amax Copper Mines, a subsidiary of Amax, Inc.

Eureka Standard had been one of four companies that formed the so-called "Tintic Group" that were party, along with the huge Chief Consolidated Mining company form the nearby Eureka area, to the so-called "Unit Lease" to Bear Creek Mining company, a direct subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corporation. Kennecott first developed the Burgin mine on Chief Consolidated property, then the Trixie mine on Eureka Standard property. Because the entire area was under the unitized lease, all of the parties in the lease shared in the royalty fees.

November 17, 1916
"Salt Lake people who have taken over the property of the Montana company and reorganized the corporation under the name of the Eureka Standard Mining company were in the district during the week and while here arranged for a sufficient amount of work to cover the annual assessment on the unpatented claims." (Eureka Reporter, November 3, 1916)

November 24, 1916
"A mining deed from the Uvada Copper company to Eureka Standard Mining company for the Mielish or Montana group of claims - the Sunrise Fraction and thirteen other claim - and other mining property, situated in the Tintic district, has been filed with the recorder of Utah county. The filing of this deed is the preliminary step toward the organization of the new Eureka Standard Mining company to operate claims which have for a number of years been held by the Montana Mining company, in which Salt Lake people are the largest shareholders." (Eureka Reporter, November 24, 1916)

March 9, 1917
"Announcement was made yesterday of the successful closing of a big deal whereby ownership of the Eureka Standard Mining company, (formerly the Montana) passed from F. C. Richmond of Salt Lake to Jesse Knight and associates of Provo." (Eureka Reporter, March 9, 1917)

May 11, 1917
"From Provo comes word that quitclaim mining deeds from T. M. Hammond et al. and from L. T. Dubois to the Eureka Standard Mining company for grantor's interests in the following Tintic mining claims have been filed with the county recorder. The consideration stated in each deed is $1. The claims affected are: Sunrise Fraction, Side Extension of Sunrise, Montana and Montana No. 2, Nevada, Nevada Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, and Nevada No. 3 mill site." (Eureka Reporter, May 11, 1917)

(The first reference to the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company was in the November 30, 1917 Eureka Reporter upon the transfer of deed of the Mielish or Montana group of claims, in exchange for shares in the Eureka Standard Consolidated company.)

December 28, 1917
"Notices which have just been sent out by H. G. Snyder indicate that the Tintic Bonanza Mines company of the eastern end of the Tintic District, is to be absorbed by the Eureka Standard Cons. Mining company." (Eureka Reporter, December 28, 1917)

June 25, 1920
The South Lily Mining company sold the Fractional Gold Hill, Headwig, Fraction Headwig, and Walter Fraction mining claims to the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company. (Eureka Reporter, June 25, 1920)

April 6, 1928
By this date the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company was shown as a subsidiary of the Tintic Standard Mining company, with 64.45 percent of the stock. (Eureka Standard, April 6, 1928; March 28, 1940)

(There was no reference in online newspapers for when Tintic Standard purchased control of the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company.)

March 19, 1931
"During the year 1930, Eureka Standard company increased its output of ore, its profits and its ore reserves. An expanding program of development work has been carried on. The main shaft has been sunk to a depth of 1427 feet, where a new level will be driven to the vein. In the course of the sinking of the main shaft, hot water, with a temperature of 135 degrees, Fahrenheit, was encountered at a depth of 1340 feet, and a pumping plant has been installed." (Eureka Reporter, March 19, 1931)

October 7, 1931
The Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company purchased stock control of the East Tintic Consolidated Mining company on the above date. The East Tintic company for many years had been controlled 50 percent by the Chief Consolidated Mining company. It was this percentage that was sold. (Eureka Reporter, November 12, 1931; March 24, 1932)

July 11, 1935
Due to low metal prices, and the high silica content of its ore, the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining was cutting back production from 4,500 tons per month, to 3,000 tons per month. (Eureka Reporter, Jul1 11, 1935)

1940
"Owing to the exhaustion of ores, the Eureka Standard mine became inactive in 1940." (USGS Professional Paper 1024, 1979, page 92)

(Later references to the Eureka Standard company in the 1960-1961 period were always part of the Tintic Standard reports, showing that the Eureka Standard was drifting from several levels, and shipping about 1,000 tons per week of gold ore as fluxing ore to the smelters. Prior to these reports of the shipment of flux ore, the Eureka Standard mine was usually shown as a shipping gold mine, one of the largest gold mines in the West.)

June 10, 1970
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, June 10, 1970, the companies that were part of the Unit Lease to Kennecott included the following.

Chief Consolidated Mining company
Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company
Eureka Standard Mining company
South Standard Mining company
Tintic Standard Mining company

Eureka Lily Merged to Eureka Standard (1974)

November 27, 1974
Shareholders of the Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company voted to approve a merger into Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company. Allan B. Bowman was president of both companies, with Eureka Standard being the surviving company. (Salt Lake Tribune, November 27, 1974)

December 30, 1974
Shareholders of the Colorado Consolidated Mines company, and the Sioux Mines company voted on December 30, 1974 to approve the merger of the Sioux company into the Colorado Consolidated company. Allan B. Bowman was president of both companies. Mr. Bowman was also president of Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company and announced that the directors of the Eureka Standard company and the Colorado Consolidated company intended to recommend a merger of those two companies, which were controlled by the Amax Copper Mines company, a Nevada corporation which acquired the Tintic Standard Mining company through merger in 1973. Mr. Bowman was also president of Amax Copper Mines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amax, Inc., formerly American Metals Climax, Inc. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 31, 1974)

(In May 1974, Amax, Inc., had officially changed its name from American Metals Climax, Inc., to embrace its existing nickname of Amax.)

(Allen B. Bowman was the head of Banner Mining when it was merged into the Tintic Standard company in June 1953, and became president of Tintic Standard.)

Eureka Standard Merged To Amax (1975)

April 24, 1975
The merger of Colorado Consolidated Mining company, Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company and Sioux Mines company, into the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company, was finalized at a series of shareholder meetings in Salt Lake City. Eureka Standard is controlled by Amax Copper Mines, Inc., a Nevada corporation wholly owned by Amax, Inc., formerly American Metals Climax, Inc. Allan B. Bowman was president of all four companies, as well as Amax Copper Mines company. (Salt Lake Tribune, April 24, 1975)

(No references have been found in online newspapers, or in online internet searches for how and when Amax Copper Mines became Amax Arizona; at some time between 1975 and 1978.)

April 16, 1978
In 1978, only the Chief Consolidated comapny and the South Standard company remained as independent corporations. Eureka Lily had been merged into Eureka Standard, which along with Tintic Standard, had merged into Amax Arizona, Inc., a subsidiary of Amax, Inc. (Salt Lake Tribune, April 16, 1978)

(Original owners of the Tintic properties under lease to Kennecott since 1956 were Chief Consolidated Mining company and the so-called Tintic Group, made up of four companies: Eureka Lily Mining company; Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company; South Standard Mining company; and Tintic Standard Mining company.)

Eureka Standard Merged To South Standard (1983)

December 23, 1982
"South Standard Mining Co , Salt Lake City, and Amax Arizona Inc., announced agreement Thursday for South Standard to acquire all of Amax Arizona’s interest in Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining Co., Salt Lake City. Amax Arizona, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amax Inc., Greenwich, Conn., owns 61 percent of Eureka Standard. Finalization is subject to regulatory approvals and merger between South Standard and Eureka, hopefully to be accomplished in March or April." (Salt Lake Tribune, December 24, 1982)

(Although Amax controlled the Eureka Standard company through majority stock ownership, the complete merger of Eureka Standard into Amax was prevented by the minority stockholders. Eureka Standard company remained semi-independent until 1982 when it was sold to the South Standard company. It also remained as a party named in the Kennecott Unit Lease until its sale to South Standard.)

(A review of the timeline of events suggests that the minority Eureka Standard shareholders allowed the sale and merger into the South Standard company when Kennecott terminated the lease on the Trixie mine in November 1982. The termination took away any specific income for the Eureka Standard company, since the Trixie mine shaft and facilities were located on Eureka Standard property.)

January 14, 1983
"South Standard Mining Co., Salt Lake City, and Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining Co. announced terms of a merger whereby Eureka Standard holders would receive one share of South Standard stock for three and a half shares of Eureka. The merger of Eureka Standard into South Standard, tentatively scheduled to be completed by April 30, follows the acquisition of a 61 percent interest in Eureka Standard by South Standard from Amax Arizona, Inc." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 14, 1983)

July 29, 1983
South Standard Mining company merged with the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company on July 29, 1983, with the South Standard being the surviving company. (Salt Lake Tribune, Saturday, July 30, 1983, "Friday")

Burgin Mine (1948-1977) and Trixie Mine (1969-1992)

(Read more about the Burgin mine and Trixie mine as part of the story of Tintic after 1980, after Kennecott's termination of the Unit Lease)

###