Show I PIONEER UTAH MINERS IGNORED WEALTH I FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS I i i iI I Need for metals to make life easier in Utah's pioneering days I rather than the desire for monetary gain were the motives for the first tentative tapping of the states state's natural resources I As opposed to most areas where miners ners first sought gold and and silver Utah began its mining history in inthe inthe in inthe the with the use of iron deposits deposits deposits de de- de- de posits near Cedar City for horseshoes horseshoes horseshoes horse horse- shoes wagon irons and wheel tires and lead deposits near Minersville for bullets However because of limited local metal needs no extensive mining was attempted until the railroad moved into Utah in 1869 Then with the opening up of eastern markets and the availability of transportation men with an eye to the future began to risk their capital to develop lead zinc and copper deposits Cost High Earl Early mining and processing methods kept production costs high and with markets limited only the richest ore de deposits were worked As the demand deman for metal grew the mining industry began to develop improved mining milling smelting and refining methods along with new new machines Resultant increased efficiency led to the processing of lower 1 I L grade u. u ores cu in the l inc C establishment establish establish- ment of th the Utah Copper operation at Bingham Canyon There mass mining and processing methods demonstrated the practicality of transforming what was thought to be a useless mountain into a copper coppermine coppermine coppermine mine that toda today produces 30 30 0 of the nations nation's new copper Growth Felt The growth of Utah's mining in industry industry in- in soon became apparent throughout the state through the effect of constantly increasing payrolls pay pay- rolls supply purchases an and tax payments A recent survey indicated ed that for every person eng engaged ged in mining and allied industries 12 persons persona were supported through I jobs created in service professions and industries Changing conditions have recently recent recent- ly stimulated new mining activities in Utah In 10 years the iron in industry industry in- in grew from negligible stature to the production of 16 million tons of steel per year Other re recent recent recent re- re cent developments have been the production of gypsum in Sevier County cement in Salt Lake and Morgan Counties in Millard Millard Millard Mil- Mil lard County and ana vanadium uranium uranium ura ura- oil and gas in the eastern and southern parts of the state These natural resources were developed developed developed de de- de- de when economic conditions r ti became favorable Still waiting development development development de de- de- de are oil shale hale phosphate and rind alunite Dramatic Evidence Dramatic evidence of the growth of Utah's mining industry can be found in comparing production figures figures fig fig- ures of 1890 and 1890 and 1951 In 1890 1810 the state state produced tons of copper tons of lead no zinc 31 ounces of gold and of silver for a total value of oC In 1951 loni the th fi ures o I were tons of copper tons of lead tons of zinc ounces of gold and ounces of silver Value of the metals have not yet been computed but it is known that mine employees received about in wages Over were spent for supplies and about was paid in instate instate in instate state and local taxes Further additions additions addi addi- were made to Utah's economy b by salaries to engineering staffs and office workers machinery maintenance a and ii d replacement office rent and other expenditures The current picture of the Utah mining industry certainly substantiates substantiates substantiates its motto From the earth comes an abundant life lile for all I |