Arizona's Morenci Mining District - 1870 - 2015

Drawing near, the definitive mining history of Arizona's iconic Morenci mining district by mineral exploration consultant David Briggs.

This 76-p manuscript with 41 illustrations detailing mining activity in the Morenci area from 1870 to 2015 will be released as an AZGS Contributed Report in the final weeks of Nov. 2016. Keep your eye out for it.

From the introduction; “Mining activities at Morenci evolved from small pick and shovel operations that relied on burros to transport the ore to primitive adobe furnaces to a world class mining project that employs the latest mining practices and technology to produce copper, which makes our modern lifestyle possible. This transformation didn't just happen. It was the product of wise investments made by visionaries like Henry Leszinsky, William Dodge and Edinburgh capitalists, who provided the financial backing that made the early mining ventures at Morenci a reality.

This financial backing was funneled through a number of mining companies that were incorporated to produce copper from the various property holdings in the Morenci mining district (Figure 2). These business ventures not only developed the mines, concentrators, smelters and other infrastructure that were essential for copper production, but also provided amenities to company towns such as Morenci, Clifton and Metcalf, where the miners and their families lived.”
Posted by M. Conway | 3 Nov. 2016