Early Spanish, Mexican, and American prospectors searched for gold and silver, and ignored copper. It was not until the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1876 that copper became broadly economic to mine and ship to market.
All copper mining was by underground methods until the early 20th century. After the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah successfully mined a large low-grade copper deposit from a large open pit, the same technique was applied to Arizona’s porphyry copper deposits.
Arizona's first open pit copper mined opened at Ajo in 1917.
As of 2006, there were 11 producing copper mines in Arizona.
Cochise County: Bisbee mine
Gila County: Pinto Valley mine and Miami mine;
Greenlee County: Morenci mine;
Mohave County: Mineral Park mine;
Pima County: Mission mine, Silver Bell mine, and Sierrita mine;
Pinal County: Ray mine and Tohono mine;
Yavapai County: Bagdad mine.
Six of the mines are owned and operated by Phelps Dodge, three by Asarco, and one each by BHP Billiton and Mercator Minerals.
In addition to its existing mines, Phelps Dodge is preparing its new Safford Mine, eight miles north of the town of Safford in Graham County to begin producing copper in 2008. The Safford mine, in a large porphyry copper deposit, will be the largest new copper mine put on production in Arizona in more than 30 years.
All copper mining was by underground methods until the early 20th century. After the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah successfully mined a large low-grade copper deposit from a large open pit, the same technique was applied to Arizona’s porphyry copper deposits.
Arizona's first open pit copper mined opened at Ajo in 1917.
As of 2006, there were 11 producing copper mines in Arizona.
Cochise County: Bisbee mine
Gila County: Pinto Valley mine and Miami mine;
Greenlee County: Morenci mine;
Mohave County: Mineral Park mine;
Pima County: Mission mine, Silver Bell mine, and Sierrita mine;
Pinal County: Ray mine and Tohono mine;
Yavapai County: Bagdad mine.
Six of the mines are owned and operated by Phelps Dodge, three by Asarco, and one each by BHP Billiton and Mercator Minerals.
In addition to its existing mines, Phelps Dodge is preparing its new Safford Mine, eight miles north of the town of Safford in Graham County to begin producing copper in 2008. The Safford mine, in a large porphyry copper deposit, will be the largest new copper mine put on production in Arizona in more than 30 years.
© 2006 by "DiscoveringArizona Inc." · All Rights Reserved · E-Mail: jayq@discoveringarizona.com
Mining Cities & Towns in Arizona:
Copper mining in Arizona has been a major industry since the 1800s. In 2006 Arizona was the leading copper-producing state in the US, producing a record five billion dollars worth of copper. Copper mining also produces gold and silver as byproducts. Byproduct molybdenum from copper mining makes Arizona the nation's second-largest producer of that metal.
Although copper mineralization was found by the earliest Spanish explorers of Arizona, the territory was remote, and copper could not be profitably mined and shipped.
Although copper mineralization was found by the earliest Spanish explorers of Arizona, the territory was remote, and copper could not be profitably mined and shipped.
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