Tintic, North Lily Knight Mining Co.

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This page was last updated on March 1, 2026.

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(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the mines of the North Lily 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.)

(Although incomplete, research suggests that none of the North Lily Mining company properties were part of the renewed activity in the Tintic district under the Kennecott lease of 1955. Except for the Dragon Consolidated mine, none of the North Lily properties were active during the early 1970s when Anaconda, especially after closing its International smelter in 1972, began arrangements to merge and consolidate its holdings in the Tintic district.)

(The North Lily Knight company was separate from the North Lily company. the two companies merged in 1941.)

(Read more about the North Lily Mining company of 1916-1941)

By 1929, International Smelting company, already in control of the North Lily, acquired the Knight properties. The Knight acquisition, for about $1,000,000, was made under the name of the North Lily Mining Company. (Eureka Reporter, May 2, 1929; July 11, 1929)

North Lily Knight Mining Company (1929-1941)

(The North Lily Knight company of 1929 was the instrument by which International Smelting, and Anaconda, contolled the former Knight interests. In 1924, International had taken control of the North Lily company, and the Mountain View Mining company, which was the former Uncle Sam and May Day mines, as well as the Yankee Consolidated company.)

(After 1929-1930, almost all activity in the former Knight mines took place under the controlling interest of the North Lily Mining company, a subsidiary of International Smelting company, which in-turn was a subsidiary of the Anaconda company.)

July 3, 1929
Control of all holdings of the Knight Investment company of Provo in the Tintic mining district was acquired by the International Smelting company through its subsidiary, the North Lily Mining company, in a deal involving close to $1,000,000 and over 6000 acres of patented mining claims. The contract, signed on July 3rd by J. O. Elton, manager of the smelting company, and J. William Knight, of the Knight Investment company, provided that a new organization to be known as the North Lily Knight Mining company, with 3,000,000 shares, shall control and develop a total of 9,127 acres of former Knight property in the Tintic district. Included in the deal are the Twentieth Century, Big Hill, Empire Mines, Dragon Consolidated, Eureka Swansea, Middle Swansea, Swansea Consolidated, Tintic Drain Tunnel. The International Smelting company, which was the Utah unit of the Anaconda Copper copper company, became one of the largest mining and smelting units in the west. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 4, 1929; Ogden Standard Examiner, July 4, 1929)

July 3, 1929
Excerpts from the Deseret News, July 3, 1929.

A $1,000,000 mining deal, one of the largest in Utah mining in recent years, was completed today with the announcement of the acquisition by the International Smelting company, through its subsidiary the North Lily Mining company, of control of all the holdings of the Knight Investment company of Provo, in the Tintic, Eureka, mining district.

Negotiations between the two interests have been under way for several months, and the transaction was completed today when the final agreements were signed by J. O. Elton, manager of the smelting company, and J. William Knight, for the Knight Investment company

The properties involved include control of the Twentieth Century, Big Hill, Empire Mines, Dragon Consolidated, Eureka Swansea, Middle Swansea, Swansea Consolidated, Tintic Drain Tunnel, and substantial interest in Tintic Central, Southern Eureka and North Godiva.

The area of ground is 6,159 acres of patented mining claims, 346 acres of unpatented mining claims, surface rights to 1,739 acres and a contract on 880 acres, a total of 9,127 acres of ground.

The new holding and parent company formed was known as the North Lily Knight company, and would take over all of the Knight properties in Tintic. Development of the mines was to be financed by dividends of the North Lily Mining company.

September 19, 1929
From the Eureka Reporter, September 19, 1929.

North Lily Knight Work to Commence -- At a meeting held yesterday at Salt Lake the details were worked out for the proper financing of the North Lily Knight company's operations of this district. First the shareholders of the North Lily ratified the deal whereby that company assumes control of all of the Tintic properties of the Knight Investment Co. North Lily Knight is really a holding corporation for the various groups of claims recently purchased from the Knight interests. The directors of the North Lily had previously taken favorable action on this transfer and arranged to submit the matter to shareholders for formal ratification.

The properties involved include control of the Twentieth Century, Big Hill, Empire Mines, Dragon Consolidated, Eureka Swansea, Middle Swansea, Swansea Consolidated, Tintic Drain Tunnel and substantial interest in Tintic Central, Southern Eureka and North Godiva.

The area of ground is 6,159 acres of patented mining claims, 349 acres of unpatented mining claims, surface rights of 1,739 acres and a contract on 880 acres, a total of 9,127 acres of ground.

[100,000 shares of North Lily stock was deposited in the treasury of the new North Lily Knight company. Dividend income from those 100,000 shares was guaranteed to be at least $100,000 per year for three years, totaling the reported $300,000 paid by the North Lily company for the Knight properties. But even this large amount spread over three years was seen as insufficient for the best development of the Knight properties.]

The first development work will likely be on the Twentieth Century group, the Big Hill and Empire Mines. The first mentioned may be developed either from the Iron King shaft or the new shaft to be sunk on the Big Hill, which seems to hold the strategic position among the groups of claims in the eastern end of the district. Empire Mines already has a deep shaft and all needed machinery for extensive mining operations.

No time will be lost in starting work at the Big Hill, it is reported. In fact a small crew of men has been busy there for the past few weeks. Some road work will be needed to make connection with the highway extending from Eureka to the North Lily. Big Hill's shaft, now down 600 feet, will be enlarged and retimbered and then continued to a depth of about 1500 feet.

September 18, 1929
In a special meeting of the stockholders of the Knight Investment company held on September 18, 1929, the stockholders voted the transfer of all Knight Investment properties in the Tintic district to a new corporation called North Lily Knight company, including patented and unpatented mining claims, and stock in other corporations. The new corporation was to be controlled by the North Lily Mining company, with an agreement that the North Lily Mining company would furnish the needed funding to develop the former Knight Investment company properties, beginning with the re-timbering and enlargement of the Big Hill mine's shaft and further development of the Big Hill mine, and further development of the Empire and Twentieth Century mines. The sale included 6,159 acres of patented mining land, 349 acres of unpatented mining land, 1,719 acres of non-mining land, 20 acres of surface rights, and 880 acres of mining land under patent application. (Deseret News, September 18, 1929)

The Knight Investment company properties included:
-- Big Hill Mining company;
-- Defender Mining and Milling company;
-- Empire Mines company;
-- Eureka Hill Railway company;
-- Eureka Swansea Extension;
-- Knight Drain Tunnel;
-- Middle Swansea;
-- Tintic Drain Tunnel;
-- Twentieth Century Mining company;
-- a minority interest in the North Godiva and Tintic Central Mining companies.

The September 19, 1929 issue of the Eureka Reporter showed the Knight Investment properties as:
-- Big Hill
-- Dragon Consolidated
-- Empire Mines
-- Eureka Swansea
-- Middle Swansea
-- Swansea Consolidated
-- Tintic Drain Tunnel
-- Twentieth Century
-- substantial interest in North Godiva
-- substantial interest in Southern Eureka
-- substantial interest in Tintic Central

(The first mention in online newspapers of International Smelting taking over the Knight Investment properties was in the September 29, 1929 issue of the Eureka Reporter.)

July 25, 1930
At a special meeting held on July 25, 1930, the stockholders ratified the agreement to transfer all property and assets of the Knight Investment Co., to the new North Lily-Knight Company, which is backed by the International Mining & Smelting Co. (Eureka Reporter, July 10, 1930; July 31, 1930)

The North Lily Knight company will control the following 12 companies, plus some unpatented property. The properties involved in the district embrace a mineral tract of more than 7000 acres." (Eureka Reporter, July 31, 1930)

September 4, 1930
The North Lily Knight company took a three-year lease on the Big Hill mine of the Big Hill Mining company, with the North Lily Knight company agreeing to send at least $100,000 per year in development work. The Big Hill shaft was currently at 830 feet, and the North Lily Knight company agreed to sink the shaft down to 2500 or 2800 feet. The surface plant of the Big Hill company was one of the most modern in the Tintic district, and was capable of such deep work. The road from the mine to the main highway was widened and graveled and capable of the added traffic. (Eureka Reporter, September 4, 1930)

"The North Lily-Knight company will control besides the Big Hill property, the Twentieth Century, the Empire Mines company, one half in interest in the Tintic Central Mining company, the Dragon Consolidated Mining company, the Defender Mining & Milling company, the Eureka Swansea Mining company, the Middle Swansea, Eureka Hill Railroad, North Godiva Mining company, Swansea Consolidated Mining company, Southern Eureka Mining company and some unpatented property, embracing a mineral tract of about 7000 acres." (Eureka Reporter, September 4, 1930)

December 20, 1930
The Big Hill Mining company was leased to the North Lily Knight company. (Provo Daily Herald, August 8, 1941)

November 6, 1931
Excerpts from the Deseret News, November 6, 1931.

In a $400,000 deal, Anaconda's International Smelting company took ownership of selected properties of the Chief Consolidated Mining company. Included were: 75 percent ownership of Eureka Bullion Mining company stock; full deed and ownership of the Tintic Bullion Mining company and its property; several hundred acres of mining ground adjacent to the North Lily Mining property on the west, north and east; two leases of Chief Consolidated property; a five-year smelting contract for all ores produced by the Chief Consolidated Mining company.

The Chief Consolidated previously had no interest in selling any of its property, but its current indebtedness, together with low metal prices, made the sale necessary. All of the ground sold was in development and not yet producing.

The ground adjoining the Tintic Bullion property would be leased in the form of two separate leases to the North Lily Mining company, a subsidiary of the International Smelting company.

The Eureka Bullion company was currently under lease to the North Lily company, and the North Lily company would take the 75 percent ownership share. The Eureka Bullion company's shaft was down 1200 feet and an ore zone was being worked by laterals and winzes. Another ore zone within the Eureka Bullion ground was being worked from the 1600 Level of the adjacent Big Hill shaft, which is part of the Tintic Bullion ground.

April 13, 1935
From the Salt Lake Tribune, April 13, 1935.

Washington, April 12 UPI — Controlling holdings of International Smelting and Refining company in the shares of several mining companies was disclosed in reports to the securities commission today.

Following is a list of these and other mining company reports filed with the commission in connection with their applications for listing on the Salt Lake City stock exchange:

  • The Big Hill Mining Co.: A. D. Hunter, Salt Lake City, as trustee for North Lily Knight Co. held 50.02 percent of stock
  • Park Nelson Mining Co.: A. B. Young, Salt Lake City as trustee for International Smelting and Refining Co., held 50.31 per cent; Lila Nelson, Park City, held 10.22 percent
  • Moscow Silver Mines Co.: M. B. Johnson, Salt Lake City, trustee, held 16.66 per cent; G. S. Wilkin, Salt Lake City, held 17.7 percent
  • Dragon Consolidated Mining Co.: A. D. Hunter. Salt Lake, trustee for Lily Knight Co., held 65.79 per cent; Tintic Standard Mining company, held 10.67 percent
  • East Tintic Coalition Mining Co.: North Lily Mining Co., held 97 per cent
  • Yankee Consolidated Mining Co : J. O. Elton, Salt Lake, president, as trustee for International Smelting and Refining Co., held 50.14 per cent
  • Empire Mines company; A. D. Hunter, Salt Lake City, trustee for the North Lily Knight company, held 66.1 per cent; Tintic Standard Mining company, held 11 percent
  • Mountain View Mining company: J. C. Dick, New Orleans, Louisiana, a director, held 16 per cent; the International Smelting and Refining company, Salt Lake City, Utah, held 17 per cent; Tom Warburton. Salt Lake, trustee for International Smelting and Refining company, 40.32 per cent
  • Eureka Bullion Mining company: International Smelting and Refining company held 50 per cent
  • Park Konold Mines corporation: Tom Warburton, Salt Lake City, as trustee for International Smelting and Refining company, held 50.33 per cent

September 7, 1935
From the Deseret News, September 7, 1935

Development of the extensive holdings of the North Lily Mining company in the East Tintic mining region, will be resumed immediately, it was learned today. A crew of men has been put to work cleaning out the tunnel which connects the triple compartment shaft of the North Lily, and the double compartment shaft of the Big Hill Mining company, both subsidiary properties of the International Smelting company. The two shafts are connected from the 1200 foot level of the North Lily. When this work is completed, development work will be resumed in the Tintic Bullion ground, lying to the west of the North Lily. The Tintic Bullion acreage was acquired by the North Lily company from the Chief Consolidated Mining company in 1929.

The ground was acquired after investigation by the North Lily management, but area was never developed. A crosscut was started from the tunnel which connects the North Lily and Big Hill shafts on the 1200 level, but the work was halted before the objective was reached at the time the mine was closed down because of the depression.

The objective of this work will be to crosscut a northeast fissure zone in the Tintic Bullion at a point just above the Ophir limestone. All the work will be done through the North Lily and a crew has been engaged for the work.

The North Lily owns 10 patented claims in the Tintic district besides the Tintic Bullion, Baltimore and Hannibal. Among other assets is controlling interest of the North Lily Knight company which was organized in 1930 to acquire certain stock ownership and mining acreage of the Knight Investment company. North Lily owns 1,464.445 shares of the capital stock of the East Tintic Coalition Mining company, also.

Development of the North Lily ground was begun through the Tintic Standard workings and carried on from 1926 until 1928. In May, 1928, North Lily completed its own surface plant and shaft and has since mined through this shaft.

April 8, 1937
"The Empire Mines Company filed articles of incorporation. The place of the business office was at Provo, and the following officers were named: Jesse Knight, president; J. Will Knight, vice president; W. Lester Mangum, secretary and treasurer; Mrs. Amanda M. Knight, R, E. Allen, K. S. Jordan and J. H. Smith, additional directors." (Eureka Reporter, April 8, 1937)

In March 1941, Empire Mines company was shown as being a subsidiary of the North Lily Knight company. (Salt Lake Tribune, March 16, 1941)

North Lily Mining Company Reorganized (1941-1976)

July 9, 1941
The North Lily Mining company was incorporated as a consolidation of the previous North Lily Mining company, and the North Lily Knight company, which was 95 percent controlled by the North Lily Mining company. The consolidation was approved by the boards and shareholders of both companies on July 8, 1941. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 9, 1941; July 11, 1941; July 16, 1941)

(The effective date of the consolidation was July 9, 1941)

(Both the previous and the new North Lily Mining company was a subsidiary of the International Smelting and Refining company, which in-turn was a subsidiary of the Anaconda company.)

(The new North Lily Mining company became a full subsidiary of the International Smelting company on July 9, 1941, and after that date no attempt was made to show ore shipments or revenue of the Tintic operations as separate from those of any other mine controlled by the International company, including its Bingham properties.)

The North Lily Knight company was consolidated with the North Lily Mining company. The North Lily Mining company owned 95 percent of the North Lily Knight company, which controlled the following nine companies: Big Hill Mining company; the Defender Mining and Milling company; the Dragon Consolidated Mining company; the Empire Mines company; the Eureka Swansea Extension company; Middle Swansea Mining company; the Swansea Consolidated Mining company; the Tintic Drain Tunnel company; and the Twentieth Century Mining company. (Eureka Reporter, July 17, 1941)

(The story of the North Lily Knight company continues with the new North Lily Mining company of 1941)

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