Tintic, Kennecott

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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 and Trixie mines 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.)

Kennecott Tintic Division

(The following companies were the only references in online newspapers between 1935 and 1950, and are not affiliated with the Kennecott subsidiary)

Bear Creek Mining Company was organized in Wallace, Idaho in August 1916. (Idaho Statesman, August 22, 1916)
Bear Creek Mining Company was active in the Spearfish, South Dakota, area in the late 1930s.
Bear Creek Mining Company was chartered in New Mexico on October 24, 1939, active in the Silver City, New Mexico, area. (Albuquerque Journal, October 25, 1939; Arizona Republic, November 12, 1939)
Bear Creek Mining Company was chartered in Delaware on September 14, 1945, to do business "in gas, oil, etc." (News-Journal, Wilmington, Delaware, September 14, 1945)

The following comes from USGS Profession Paper 1024, published in 1979.

Prospecting was first undertaken in East Tintic in 1870; although small quantities of ore were produced in 1899 and from 1909 to 1913, the district first achieved prominence in 1916 with the discovery of the totally concealed Central ore body of the Tintic Standard mine. Within a few years of this discovery, the Tintic Standard became one of the most productive silver mines in the world. Additional discoveries of important concealed ore deposits have continued to be made in the district, including the North Lily mine in 1927, the Eureka Lilly and Eureka Standard mines in 1928, the Burgin mine in 1958, and the Trixie mine in 1969.

To December 31, 1975, the East Tintic mining district has yielded approximately 4.83 million short tons of silver, gold, and base-metal ores, largely from concealed deposits overlain by many hundreds of feet of barren rocks. These ores have a gross valuation of approximately $231 million. The district first achieved prominence in 1916 with the discovery of the ore bodies of the Tintic Standard mine, which for a time was the world's richest silver producer. By 1946 this deposit and a number of other deposits discovered and developed nearby had been exhausted, and the district became dormant.

A dramatic revival of, mining activities in the East Tintic district began in 1956 after the discovery and subsequent development of the concealed Burgin ore bodies in an area 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the Tintic Standard that previously had been only superficially prospected. As in the earlier history of the district, the Burgin development has led to the discovery of other concealed deposits, focusing international attention on the revitalization of a nearly abandoned mining district by the application of geologic and geochemical techniques.

In March and April 1953, Kennecott's Bear Creek Mining company became active in exploration work in the Jungo Mining District in Humboldt County, Nevada, about 36 miles west of Winnemucca. (Western Mineral Survey and Utah Statesman, March 13, 1953; April 24, 1953)

Interest in what would later become the Burgin mine started with the Newmont Mining Company just after World War II. Newmont started exploration and development work from their Apex Standard No.2 shaft. Their lack of success led to a termination of the work in 1948, after which the U. S. Geologic Survey took an interest and began formal geologic exploration of the region.

May 7, 1955
From the Salt Lake Tribune, May 7, 1955.

Bear Creek Mining Co., domestic exploration arm of Kennecott Copper Corp., is making a deal to move into a sizable exploration program in Utah's Tintic District. The firm would take over operations on the 3,000 acre Jenny Lind unit in geological prospect for nonferrous metals from E. J. Longyear & Co., a prime force in organizing the unit.

The Jenny Lind unit is a remarkable effort made by mining companies in the district in pooling claims for exploration which could be mutually beneficial to all interest holders. Participating in the unit in addition to Longyear are United States Smelting Refining & Mining Co., Chief Consolidated Mining Co., Newmont Mining Co., and the Raddatz estate of Salt Lake City. Chief Consolidated has a 50 percent interest in the project.

The area has been the subject of intense geologic discussion ever since T. S. Lovering of the United States Geological Survey propounded the theory that the rhylolitic outcrops may furnish an indication of ore deposition at depth. Drilling to prove this theory has been carried out for a number of years. Longyear and Consolidated Goldfields have been active in surface and sub-surface explorations in the area in the post war period.

The Jenny Lind Unit, so named because of a canyon in the area which in turn was named for the Swedish Nightingale, is co organized that if ore is found on claims in one participating party, other parties to the unit would share in the discovery. This unitization, a pattern, with modifications, in the petroleum industry, is unique in the mining business. But such agreements open up new vistas of exploration heretofore closed on account of local jealousies and arguments over whose claims might be the most valuable.

June 26, 1955
"Important new ventures loom in the field of lead-silver-zinc mining in Utah's Tintic-Eureka District, with explorations indicated by Bear Creek Mining Co., a Kennecott Copper Corp. affiliate and other major companies." (Salt Lake Tribune, June 26, 1955)

July 13, 1955
"Bear Creek Mining Co., domestic exploration subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corp, expects shortly to commence deep drilling for nonferrous metals mineralization on the 3,000 acre Jenny Lind unit in Utah’s Eureka-Tintic district. The firm has formalized its contract with unit participants, taking over as operator from E. J. Longyear Co. During the last two months, Bear Creek personnel have engaged in surface geological reconnaissance and in drilling shallow wagon drill holes in geo-chemical prospecting." (Salt Lake Tribune, July 13, 1955)

November 30, 1955
"Bear Creek Mining Co. (Kennecott Copper Corp. exploration affiliate) is completing its fifth shallow hole on the Jenny Lind lease in the Eureka District, according to a report issued Tuesday. Chief Consolidated Mining Co. reported that these were short angle holes, averaging 600 feet in depth, for purpose of indicating the approximate intersection of two major faults on the tract. The Chief, holding about a 50 per cent interest in the Jenny Lind unit, said the next step will be a deep drilling program in search for mineralization and will probably be commenced early next spring. Meanwhile, drilling by E. J. Longyear Co., Minneapolis, continues on the Homansville structure. The program continues although no economic mineralization (ore) has been observed during the third quarter." (Salt Lake Tribune, November 30, 1955)

January 18, 1956
"Hope for discovery of new commercial ore bodies in the Eureka district, Juab County was heightened by the entry of the Bear Creek Mining Co., Kennecott Copper Corp's exploration subsidiary, into that area. Bear Creek took over from E. J. Longyear Co., a prospecting program on the 3,000-acre Jenny Lind unit, approximately half of which is owned by Chief Consolidated Mining Co., the other half belonging to United States Smelting Refining and Mining Co., Newmont Mining Co. and the Raddatz Estate. Geophysical surveys, geological diamond core drilling and other types of drilling are being carried forward. The Longyear firm is still active in the district, too, and is drilling on other properties of Chief Consolidated Mining Co." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 18, 1956)

February 21, 1956
"Bear Creek Mining Co., domestic exploration subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corp., is in negotiation with both Tintic Standard Mining Co. and Chief Consolidated Mining Co. on development of major exploration programs in Utah's East Tintic District. The proposition is said to involve all Tintic’s properties in the district and some 3,000 acres of the Chief Consolidated Mining Co.'s holdings." The discussions did not include any of the lease holdings that were part of the Jenny Lind Unit. The search was for non-ferrous metals, copper, lead-zinc, etc. None of the then-present principal operating properties of Chief Consolidated would be affected in the transaction. No sale of properties or companies is involved. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 21, 1956)

March 18, 1956
The Chief Consolidated Mining company, together with Tintic Standard Mining Co., was for several months engaged in negotiating a unit lease agreement with Kennecott's the Bear Creek Mining Co. The lease was to involve Chief Consolidated's Apex and Water Lily areas, comprising some 3,000 acres and all of the Tintic Standard Mining Co.'s property in the same area. Any development would require the expenditure of several million dollars to fully explore the possibilities. Bear Creek Mining Co. was to furnish the necessary capital and conduct the operations. (Salt Lake Tribune, March 18, 1956)

May 11, 1956
The Tintic Standard Mining company mined and shipped 9,912 tons of ore during 1955, shipping from its Tintic Standard and Iron Blossom mines. The company, and its subsidiary Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company, and the Chief Consolidated Mining company, were in negotiations with Kennecott for the long-term lease of a 10,000-acre block held by the two companies in the East Tintic Mining District. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 11, 1956)

(Subsidiaries of the Tintic Standard Mining company included the South Standard Mining company, the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company, and the Eureka Lilly Consolidated Mining company. -- Salt Lake Tribune, June 13, 1956)

July 1, 1956
Tintic Standard Mining company and its subsidiaries (known as the Tintic Standard Group), together with Chief Consolidated Mining company, signed a 50-year lease unit agreement with Kennecott subsidiary Bear Creek Mining company. Kennecott was to retain 85 percent of net smelter returns from ore mined. The other 15 percent was to go as royalty to the other two companies. On ore taken from Chief Consolidated properties, the split of the 15 percent royalty was to be 2/3 to Chief Consolidated and 1/3 to Tintic Standard. On ore taken from Tintic Standard properties, the 15 percent was to be as 2/3 to Tintic Standard and 1/3 to Chief Consolidated. Kennecott and Bear Creek was to bear all mining and production costs, including infrastructure costs. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 1, 1956)

August 29, 1956
Bear Creek Mining company, for Kennecott Copper Corporation, signed a lease agreement with Chief Consolidated Mining company, Tintic Standard Mining company, Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company, Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company, and South Standard Mining company. Known by Bear Creek as the "East Tintic Exploration Unit" and by the property owners as the "Unit Tract," the area encompassed 10,000 acres of developed and undeveloped mining lands. The lease for Bear Creek to make geologic studies of the area, and to later develop and mine the area to economically recover mineral ores. The lease provided for a unitized operation that may or may not incorporate all or part of any or each of the five property owners, who would receive royalties based on percentage of ownership.

September 7, 1956
Kennecott and Chief Consolidated Mining company signed a separate agreement for a five-year option for Kennecott to acquire control through stock purchase of the Chief Consolidated Mining company. Kennecott paid $250,000 cash for the five-year option, at the end of which Kennecott could either recover the cash, or buy full controlling interest in the Chief Consolidated Mining company. In the interim, Kennecott could buy any or all of the unissued common and preferred stock in the Chief company. At the same time, Kennecott agreed to spend at least $100,000 to sink a 1,000-foot, three-compartment shaft to explore for minerals on the Chief Consolidated properties. (Salt Lake Tribune, September 7, 1956)

(This option for Kennecott to purchase Chief Consolidated was not excercised.)

Percentages

Bear Creek (Kennecott) was to pay the owners "lessors" 15 percent of net smelter returns, after deducting operating costs, divided as follows:

Tract 1, 2, and 3 (owned by Chief Consolidated Mining company):

Chief Consolidated Mining company -- 66-2/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company -- 2-2/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company -- 6-2/3 percent (of 15 percent)
South Standard Mining company -- 11-1/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Tintic Standard Mining company -- 10-2/3 percent (of 15 percent)

Tract 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (owned by the four companies)

Chief Consolidated Mining company -- 33-1/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Eureka Lily Consolidated Mining company -- 9-1/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company -- 13-1/3 percent (of 15 percent)
South Standard Mining company -- 22-2/3 percent (of 15 percent)
Tintic Standard Mining company -- 21-1/3 percent (of 15 percent)

1963
Bear Creek Mining company passed the operation of the Burgin mine to the newly created Kennecott Copper Tintic Division. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 17, 1978)

1967
"Bear Creek Mining Co. is continuing its search for commercial ores in the Tintic district." (Utah's Mining Industry, published by the Utah Mining Association, 1967, page 90)

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

June 20, 1972
Chief Consolidated was the only owner/lessor in the Unit Lease to excercise the option on the Kennecott lease agreement to take an annual "minimum royalty" as an advance on future royalties. The other four companies voted to not excercise the option. "Chief had no royalty income in 1971 and incurred a net operating loss of $177,907. Until Chief exercised the option, all Tintic unit lessors in the district, including Chief, had a contract providing for payments out of current net operating income of the Burgin operation. However, since 1969, the project had not made any money." For the Chief company, the estimated gross royalty income for the January 1 to May 31, 1972 period was $78,000. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 20, 1972)

In 1978 Kennecott and the owners of the Unit Lease renegotiated the lease agreement so that Kennecott agreed to pay the owners 7.5 percent of "net smelter returns," instead of "net profits" after Kennecott's cost of mining operations had been deducted. In addition, the new lease agreement included a $15,000 prepayment every year to each of the owning companies. The new lease meant Kennecott's profits were reduced, and the royalty paid to the owners increased. But the low metal prices meant that neither parties were making any money, except for Chief Consolidated which had previously made money by earlier renegotiating Kennecott's lease on the Burgin mine. The new lease on the Burgin mine resulted in Kennecott closing the Burgin mine "due to the high cost of mining operations." (Salt Lake Tribune, April 16, 1978; June 16, 1978).

Kennecott Leaves Tintic

From January 1978 to January 1981, Kennecott was in a battle at the corporate level, fighting a hostile takeover by Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

June 1979
Kennecott Minerals Company (KMC) name was first used in June 1979 when the company restructured the corporate positions in the Salt Lake City offices. It was in June 1979 that Paul Hunter, the operations manager of the Utah Copper Division of Kennecott Minerals company, took an early retirement at age 59, over the failure of Kennecott to follow through of the sale of the Tintic Division to an operator with experience in underground mining of silver and gold mines. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 2, 1980)

In June 1981, Kennecott Corporation, in its weakened financial condition due to the attempted hostile takeover by Curtiss-Wright, was purchased by Standard of Ohio, with British Petroleum as its parent company, and the Kennecott corporation's mission and direction turned away from developing its interests in the Tintic district.

In March 1982, Kennecott began laying off employees across its Utah Copper operations to cut costs, and prepare for a much needed modernization program of the Bingham mine, the mills, and the Garfield smelter and refinery. By the time the mine and mills were shut down for the modernization program to began in March 1985, Kennecott had reduced its work force from 7,400 in 1981, down to 1,100 in 1985. The shut down for the $400 million modernization lasted from March 1985 to December 1986.

The Burgin mine was closed in July 1978.

The Trixie mine was closed in November 1982.

Burgin Mine (1955-1978)

(The Burgin mine is located in the East Tintic district, on property owned by the Chief Consolidated Mining company, in the vicinity of the former Apex Standard and South Standard mines.)

(The Apex Standard mine had been leased by the Chief Consolidated Mining company in December 1945 to the Newmont Mining Corporation.)

Trixie Mine (1969-1982)

(The Trixie mine surface works were located on the property of the Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining company - later South Standard Mining company. Later underground expansion by Sunshine Mining company took the Trixie mine into ground owned by the Chief Consolidated Mining company's Apex Standard mine.)

East Tintic After Kennecott

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