Tintic, Trixie Mine

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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 Trixie 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.)

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.)

The Trixie mine was known as a silver and gold mine, and was located about 1-1/2 miles southwest from the Burgin mine, which was known as a lead, silver and zinc mine. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 21, 1975)

(A map of Tintic District mining claims dated 1927 shows a "Trixy" shaft in the northeast corner of Section 28, and located near the south boundary line of the Eureka Standard company with the South Standard company.)

The Trixie shaft extends to a depth of about 1,300 feet and was active from 1969 to 1992. Operators initially were Kennecott Mining Company (1962-1980), followed for the last nine years by Sunshine Mining Company (1983-1992).

During its life (1969 to 1992) the Trixie produced a reported 713,478 tons of ore, which was directly shipped (without concentration) to the Kennecott smelter in Garfield, Utah as smelter flux. Metals produced were 150,048 ounces of gold and 4,670,289 ounces of silver. This ore was contained in the vertical interval from 750 feet down to 1300 feet.

The first reference to the Trixie shaft, and later Trixie mine was in December 1968 when Kennecott received approval from the Utah state engineer to use the ground water coming from the mine for culinary and other purposes.

In 1969 Kennecott opened the Trixie mine, leasing the location from South Standard Mining Co.

March 1973
Kennecott put the Trixie mine into production. Ore from the Trixie mine was being shipped to the Anaconda smelter near Butte, Montana. Ore from the Burgin mine was being shipped to the Bunker Hill smelter in Idaho. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 15, 1973)

By July 1976, all the ore from both the Trixie mine and the Burgin mine, after being processed in the Burgin concentrating mill, was being sent to the Kennecott smelter at Garfield. (Eureka Reporter, July 16, 1976)

During September 1978, the Trixie mine shipped 10,500 tons of ore, compared to just 4,800 tons shipped during the entire January to July 1978 period. (Eureka Reporter, November 10, 1078)

February 22, 1980
"The Tintic Division is primarily engaged in the mining and milling of silver and gold from the Trixie Mine, which lies on a unitized lease from Chief Consoldiated Mining Co., Amax Arizona Inc., Eureka Standard Consolidated Mining Co., and South Standard Mining Co. The ore is shipped as fluxing agent to KCC copper smelters in Utah and Nevada." (Salt Lake Tribune, February 22, 1980)

August 6, 1980
"Trixie gold and silver mine in the Tintic District of Utah. The mine, located on South Standard Mining Co. property, is operated by Kennecott on a unitized lease basis with four owners — South Standard, Eureka Standard Mining Co , Amax-Arizona Inc., and Chief Consolidated Mining Co." (Salt Lake Tribune, August 6, 1980)

1981
"At its Trixie operation in the East Tintic mining district, Kennecott Corp, spent $1.4 million on underground and surface drilling and discovered a new ore body in the southern area of the mine." (Mineral Yearbook, 1981, page 492)

July 21, 1981
"Bear Creek currently has a drilling program underway in the Trixie Mine and on the Homansville Fault area. Kennecott Minerals Company, Tintic Division, has a current employment of approximately 140 employees. The division is mining flux ore from the Trixie Mine." (Eureka Reporter, July 21, 1981)

November 29, 1982
"The Trixie mine, a gold and silver producer, continued operation until Nov. 29 when it was shut down." (Eureka Reporter, April 8, 1983)

January 7, 1983
Kennecott announced that it was closing its Trixie mine, the last mine in operation in the Tintic district. (Eureka Reporter, January 7, 1983)

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