Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Copper Division records

Collection

Identifier: ACCN 1440

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Copper Division records (circa 1900-2000) contain personnel records, schematic drawings, administrative and property records for this Utah mining, smelting, and refining company. The employment record cards are arranged alphabetically by last name and contain information, including an employee's address, date employed, prior employer, education, nationality, and job assignments. Many of these records contain personal information, such as social security numbers that will not be released to the public. The archivist will provide researchers with a copy of a record, but will redact any sensitive information to protect the privacy of individuals.

Additional personnel and administrative files, consisting of correspondence, biographical profiles, and other documents are also included. The collection also contains files concerned with the planning and construction of employee housing, including contractor correspondence, cost estimates, permit information, and similar documentation; ledgers containing property ownership information and records identifying mechanical patterns and drawings; and miscellaneous reports and other records.

Dates

circa 1900-2000

Creator

Kennecott Copper Corporation. Utah Copper Division (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Researcher access to some of the personnel records will be limited. Many of these records contain personal information, such as social security numbers that will not be released to the public. The archivist will provide researchers with a copy of a record, but will redact any sensitive information to protect the privacy of individuals.

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged to access the materials that are open to research. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Organizational History

Mining began in Bingham Canyon, Utah, around 1863 with picks, dynamite, and shovels. However, it wasn't until Daniel Jackling and Robert Gemmell surveyed the area and proposed a new method of mining in 1899 that the mine became profitable. Large-scale surface mining began at that time. In 1903, Jackling formed the Utah Copper Company and bought out Boston Consolidated Mining Company years later so Utah Copper could operate on the entire mountain. In 1936, Kennecott Copper Corporation bought Utah Copper Company and later changed it to the Utah Copper Division. During this time, the "hill," as the mountain was called, was transforming into the "pit" as work at the mine continued. During the 1950s, Kennecott constructed its own refinery and bought the ASARCO smelter so it could have a complete production line of mining, concentrating, smelting, and refining. The mining pit is presently around 3/4 mile deep and still growing.

The expansion of Utah Copper's operation came from the Guggenheims, who also held majority interest in Standard Oil. One of their investment vehicles, the Guggenheim Exploration Company, provided the funding for Utah Copper to build its new mill at Magna, and the reorganization of Utah Copper in April 1904 was the result of the influx of Guggenheim money. The Guggenheims were also the majority owners of American Smelting and Refining (ASARCO), who had bought majority interests in most of the Salt Lake Valley smelters, wanting to consolidate the smelting operations in one large location to benefit from economies of scale that such an operation would provide. To tie their two new properties together, i.e., funding the expansion of Utah Copper, and consolidating the Utah smelters into a new large smelter at Garfield, Utah Copper signed a 20-year contract with ASARCO that would both guarantee a market for Utah Copper mining operations, and through their new mill at Magna, provide copper concentrates for the new Garfield smelter. (Arrington: Richest Hole, p. 46)

Construction on the new Utah Copper mill began in November 1905. (Engineering and Mining Journal, March 17, 1906, p. 534; see also Arrington: Richest Hole, p. 50). Construction of the Garfield smelter began in 1905. (Arrington: Richest Hole, p. 47). To formally get the new smelter organized and under construction, the Garfield Smelting Company was incorporated on November 17, 1905, as a subsidiary of the American Smelting and Refining Co. (Utah corporation files, index 5411). The Garfield smelter began operations in August 1906. (Arrington: Richest Hole, p. 47)

"Complying with Court Decree copper smelting was discontinued in Salt Lake Valley December 31, 1907. However, before the closing down of the three going copper smelters in Salt Lake Valley, preparation for their replacement had been made by new and more modern plants, the Garfield Smelter of the American Smelting and Refining Company erected near the south shores of Great Salt Lake and the Tooele plant of the International Smelting and Refining Company erected at the mouth of Pine Canyon overlooking Tooele Valley. The Garfield Smelter started operations in 1906, principally for the reduction of Utah Copper Concentrates but also custom ores. The Tooele Smelter got into operation in 1911, principally for the reduction of Highland Boy ores but also custom ores, and was equipped for the smelting of both copper sulfides and lead-silver ores." (Thomas Parry Billings, "History of the Bingham Mining District", written c.1952)

(Organizational history written by Mark Jensen.)

Extent

1514.25 Linear Feet (1039 Boxes, Cartons and Tubes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Kennecott Copper Corporation, Utah Copper Division records (circa 1900-2000) contain personnel records, schematic drawings, and administrative and property records for this Utah mining, smelting, and refining company.

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged in four series, some which have been further arranged in subseries: I. Personnel records; II. Administrative materials; III. Ledgers; and IV. Oversize technical drawings and maps.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Boxes 1-106 and books/rolls 161-434 were donated in 1993-1995.

Boxes/cartons 107-160 were donated in July 2001.

Box 435 was donated in September 2001.

Boxes/cartons/books/rolls 436-843 were donated in 2002.

Cartons 844-848 were donated in 2003.

Cartons/boxes/books 849-866 were donated in January 2007.

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0709).

Processing Information

Processed by Mark Jensen, Sabrina Riches, and Lisa DeMille from 1995-2007.

Collection completely processed and reorganized by Betsey Welland and Esabelle Khaosanga in 2016-2017.

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