Lifespan: 1846-1945 Quincy Mine

original no 2 shaft rock house



no 2 shaft rock house



quincy mine native copper specimen, arborescent crystal cluster on matrix. size: 15.9 x 9.2 x 6.0 cm.

the quincy mine founded in 1846 merger of northwest mining company , portage mining company. due poor communication between government offices, these 2 speculative mining companies had purchased same tracts of land during mining rush of 1840s. directors met , decided merge, significant investment coming massachusetts (the town of quincy, massachusetts lent mine name). while many other copper mines founded @ same time, quincy mine became successful of 1840s-era mines, , country s leading copper-producing mine 1863 (when exceeded production of minesota mine) through 1867 (after exceeded calumet , hecla).

the mine first michigan copper mine switch fissure mining amygdaloid mining, when discovered pewabic amygdaloid lode found cross quincy property in 1856. high-grade fissure veins contained large, pure masses of copper, masses take days or months extract, @ high cost. amygdaloid mining consisted of extracting lower-grade strataform orebodies in amygdaloid zones, upper portions of basalt lava flows. rock bearing small pockets of copper blasted out , processed elsewhere @ lower cost. amygdaloid mining proved more productive fissure mining, , size , richness of pewabic lode in particular allowed quincy produce profits 53 consecutive years. quincy company expanded laterally along lode buying out adjacent properties. company bought pewabic mine in 1891, mesnard , pontiac in 1897, , franklin mine in 1908. helped mine survive longer other keweenaw copper mining companies, except calumet , hecla mining company , copper range company.

to attract better class of worker, quincy mining company built , maintained housing workers. on course of operations, types of housing ranged simple tents in days, complete 3 story houses shortly before mine s shutdown. executives on east coast wanted build more elaborate , fancy homes amenities such electricity , running water. however, on-site managers didn t think necessary miners have such high-class dwellings. east coast executives realized if offered nicer homes workers, miners more stay, raise families, , less leave area or transfer mining company. strategy proved effective , helped quincy mining company retain status 1 of premier mining companies in region.

the quincy mining company closed operations (but did not dissolve) in 1931 due low copper prices. during world war ii, mines re-opened due increased copper demand. when government stopped supporting copper prices after war, mines closed good.