8.10 Large Companies Taking Over Mining Operations Notes

Large Companies Taking Over Mining Operations

Comstock Lode

  • Henry Comstock, Peter O'Reilly, and Patrick McLaughlin were among the original prospectors.
  • They mined the Comstock Lode in Nevada.

Differences in Mining

  • The mining in Nevada, Montana, Colorado, and Idaho differed significantly from the California Gold Rush of 1849.
  • California gold was found in placer deposits (loose gravel containing gold).
  • Panning was the typical method to separate gold from gravel.
  • Later strikes involved hard quartz deposits located higher in the mountains.

Hard Rock Mining

  • Hard rock mining required:
    • Specialized tools.
    • Intensive labor.
    • Substantial capital.
  • Early miners attempted to work claims by breaking rock and following veins.
  • Solid rock required drilling and dynamite as the work progressed.

Drilling Process

  • Drills were attached to iron bars.
  • Miners hit the bar, turned the drill bit, and repeated the process.
  • This process was slow; drilling one hole could take an entire day.

Using Dynamite

  • Holes were filled with dynamite sticks after drilling.
  • Fuses were connected and lit, allowing miners time to reach safety.
  • After the blast, miners loaded rock pieces into carts or wagons.

Tunnel Construction

  • Rock containing silver or gold was separated from waste rock for processing.
  • Tunnels were carved with wooden timber supports to prevent collapse.
  • Railroad tracks were laid for ore carts pulled by mules as shafts deepened.

Transition to Large Companies

  • Most miners lacked the capital for tools and supplies.
  • Many sold claims after extracting easily accessible ore.
  • Henry Comstock sold his claim for approximately 11,00011,000.
  • This led to the rise of large mining companies, such as Consolidated Virginia and California (Bonanza Company).

Consolidated Virginia and California (Bonanza Company)

  • Began serious work on the Comstock Lode in 1871-1872.
  • Dug shafts over 500500 feet deep.
  • Found ore deposits over 200200 feet wide.

Technological Advancements

  • Steam drills were used for drilling.
  • Steam-powered hoists brought rock and ore to the surface.
  • Railroad spur lines transported supplies and ore.

Ore Processing

  • Initially, processing occurred near mines.
  • Companies centralized processing for cost-effectiveness.
  • Ore was often shipped to Denver, Colorado for processing.
  • Processing steps:
    • Stamping: Breaking ore into smaller pieces using heavy wooden posts with iron shoes.
    • Smelting: Heating ore to separate silver and gold from slag.
    • Slag removal.
    • Pouring pure silver and gold into ingot molds.

Dangers in Deep Mining

  • Cave-ins trapped miners.
  • Suffocation or starvation resulted if tunnels could not be cleared quickly.
  • Equipment was new and not fully understood, leading to accidents.
  • Dynamite explosions could occur prematurely.
  • Pockets of poisonous gas could be released, causing fireballs.
  • Groundwater seepage made conditions damp and slippery.
  • Temperatures rose to 130130 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Temperature changes caused miners to fall ill.

Miners' Unions

  • Unions formed to protect miners.
  • By 1876, there were three miners' unions in Virginia City, Gold Hill, and Silver City, Nevada.
  • Companies resisted unions and blacklisted organizers.
  • Disputes led to conflict and violence.
  • Military force was used against unions.

Union Influence

  • Unions realized the need for political support.
  • Union members were elected or appointed to public positions.
  • From 1868 to 1878, the sheriff, police chief, and district attorney were former union members.
  • Union members were elected to the Nevada state government and the U.S. Congress.
  • Unions achieved concessions, improving working conditions and raising wages.

Community Support

  • The local community generally supported miners.
  • Strikes impacted local businesses, pressuring corporations to concede.
  • Miners were often members of the local fire department, using this as leverage.

Pattern of Mine Development

  • Prospectors found strikes and worked them until it became too difficult.
  • Large corporations bought claims and scaled up operations.
  • Unions organized to maintain living standards.
  • Similar developments occurred in Deadwood, South Dakota; Butte, Montana; Leadville, Colorado; Tombstone, Arizona; and Bodie, California.
  • Large scale mining offered benefits and risks.
  • The first mining unions negotiated better conditions.

Risks of Deep Mining

  • Equipment allowed mines to extend deeper, increasing worker danger.
  • Risks included cave-ins, gas poisoning, dynamite explosions, and sickness.

Underground Mining Methods

  • Vertical shaft: Following the ore body into the earth, with perpendicular tunnels.
  • Decline: A spiral tunnel circling the ore body.
  • Adit: A horizontal shaft into the side of a mountain.

Hydraulic Mining in California

  • Used in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
  • Placer mining: Extracting gold from sediment left by ancient waterways.
  • Process: Damming streams, using water cannons to erode hillsides, and separating gold using sluice boxes.

Environmental Impact of Hydraulic Mining

  • Sediment polluted water for miles.
  • River levels rose, and silt accumulated in San Francisco Bay.
  • Hydraulic mining was used from 1853 to 1884.
  • Outlawed in 1884 due to environmental damage.