Arts and Culture

Utah's Mining History In Pictures

Utah Public Radio

Published January 5, 2015 at 1:41 PM MST

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Uidentified child, probably at Castle Gate. Finlander--9 years old. He worked in the Castle Gate Mine near the turn of the century. He carried explosives and searched for "Bad Air" and cleaned entries from animal debris and loose coal.

Utah State Historical Society

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A claim in Wendover, Utah, 1907. Ray Hawkins is the miner, who is accompanied by his dog. Owner of mine was C. P. Rarison, donor's grandfather [name of mine not stated].

Utah State Historical Society

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Mine Rescue Team -- date, location and personnel not stated.

Utah State Historical Society

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United Mine Workers, Local #22

Utah State Historical Society

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Mining at rest, interior of a mine. No other identification given except "Park City miners in the late 1880's."

Utah State Historical Society

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Mining prospector at mine entrance.

Utah State Historical Society

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Coal for the Panama Exposition taken from the Black Hawk mine, 1914 or 1915

Utah State Historical Society

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Ore wagon, Alunite, Utah, 1917. Alunite, six miles west of Marysville, Piute County. Wagons hauled ore from Alunite mine to Alunite Mill, or tramway where ore was loaded to wagons.

Utah State Historical Society

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The Amazon Mine in Logan Canyon was the result of some of the first prospecting done in that area. Men are believed to be N.M. Hansen, Jr., left, and John E. Johnson.

Utah State Historical Society

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Anchor Mine. Park City, before 1902. Man on horse is Richard (Capt. Dick) Williams, Superintendant of the mine. It is thought he may be carrying the payroll for the mine, as he posed outside the pay office where sign says "Pay Day."

Utah State Historical Society

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Arronco Coal Mine, Price, Utah, Sept. 1939. "Caterpillar"" Diesel D13000 Engine with generator furnishing power and lights for entire mine. Runs cutter, pump, hoist, shaker, etc. Works 7 hours a day and uses 2 1/4 gallons - 10 cents of fuel- an hour.

Utah State Historical Society

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The Arronco coal mine near Price, Utah.

Utah State Historical Society

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Salt Lake City's Asphalt mine near Thistle, Utah.

Utah State Historical Society

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Loaded cars of uranium ore are brought out of a mine in the red Canyon district of southern Utah.

Utah State Historical Society / Atlas Minerals Division of the Atlas Corp.

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Surface facilities of an underground mine in the Big Indian District of Utah, showing headframe, shops, hoist buildingg. This mine is approximately 450 feet deep, reached by this verticle shaft.

Utah State Historical Society

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One of Utah's modern coal mines in Carbon County. Utah's coal beds cover approximately 13,000 square miles of high grade bituminous coal and constitute approximately 196 trillion tons of coal.

Utah State Historical Society

Utah has a long and widespread history of mining. As part of UPR's chapter of the Morning Edition book club, we have compiled a series of photographs from the Utah State Historical Society. Glance through the slideshow to catch a glimpse.

Most counties in Utah have some sort of mining ties. From the boom and bust mining towns to the still-present and new mining opportunities, we have ties to miners across the world.