Daly West Mine

Mine Description

The Daly West mine is situated 2 miles south-southwest of Park City, near the head of the Empire Canyon.

The indications afforded by the development of the Daly mine that the great Ontario lode extended westward beyond the limits of the Daly property led to active prospecting and locating during the middle eighties around the head of Empire Canyon. Since the early days ground at the extreme head of the canyon has been Worked, and at this time areas which might embrace the Westward extension of this lode Were taken up. “The original holdings of the Daly West property embraced 40 patented lode claims, an undivided half being owned by Messrs. J. B. Haggin, George Hearst, R. Chambers, et al. the other half by John J. Daly.”

After some exploration the owners began systematic development of their property in the summer of 1891. At this date, when the shaft had reached a depth of 800 feet, new hoisting Works were erected and machinery suitable for sinking to a depth of 1,500 feet Was installed. In June, 1892, the mine Was closed owing to the low price of silver and lead, but, in spite of this interruption, by December of that year the shaft had reached a depth of 1,255 feet and was connected with the West drift from the Daly mine. In October, 1893, Mr. Daly incorporated his one-half as the, Daly West Mining Co., with $1,500,000 capitalization in $20 shares, under the laws of Utah. Soon after the other half Was acquired by the Ivanhoe Mining Co., of California.

Owing to the low price of silver, mining operations were suspended during the later part of the year 1893. Rich ore was found in the summer of 1894 and a period of extensive development and active mining followed. Throughout the following year the output increased largely. In August, 1895, the concentration mill was constructed and the Ontario-Daly-Daly West pipe line, leading an abundant supply of excellent Water from the lakes at the head of Bonanza Flat, was laid. New hoisting Works Were erected in November, 1896, and early in the following year another large body of ore was opened.

The mine then lay idle until March, 1898, When active operations were resumed. In December differences that had arisen between the two owning companies-the Daly West and the Ivanhoe-Were adjusted and early in 1899 the companies were consolidated under the name Daly West Mining Co. In June of the same year this company alleged that the Anchor Co. had taken out ore from Daly West ground and filed suit for $200,000 against the alleged offenders. A compromise Was effected and the Anchor Co. paid the Daly West $12,500.

The next important event in the growth of this property was connected with the Quincy mine, which adjoins the Daly West on the southeast. The Quincy passed through a unique and most successful career. When interest arose in this section of the camp eight claims were staked and in the earliest stage of their development they Were leased and bonded, under the name Putnam Mining Co., to Col. W. M. Ferry. Soon after six other persons took a two-thirds interest, and in 1898 or 1899 the owners incorporated as the Quincy Mining Co. Hoisting works Were erected and active development was begun. At a depth of 110 feet ore was struck in the shaft and on following this down a large shoot of lead-silver carbonate ore of high grade was opened. Shipments were begun and rapidly increased so that by the close of the first shipping year, 1901 , the output had reached $725,000. Thus in practically one year this mine took second rank among the producers of the camp and by June, 1902, it had assumed the lead.

Before development had proceeded for half a year the probability of a connection between the ore bodies of the and Daly West ground became evident. In the spring of 1902 the Daly West Co. brought suit against the Quincy for ore alleged to have been taken by the new company beyond its end line ín Daly West ground. Thereupon the Quincy brought counter suit claiming that the ore mined by the Daly West Was under the Quincy apex. At this time members of the Daly West Co. secured a large interest in the Little Bell property, which adjoins the Quincy on the southeast. The issue was adjusted before reaching trial by an exchange of 30,000 shares in the Daly West Co. (provided by increasing its capitalization from 150,000 to 180,000 shares) for the entire Quincy property on the basis of shares of Quincy stock for one of Daly West. The mine was operated as before the consolidation, yielding large quantities of high-grade ore, until September, 1904, when its plant was closed. It was Worked afterward through the Daly West.

In July, 1902, an explosion in the powder magazine on the 1,200-foot level killed 38 persons-2 from the explosion and 36 from asphyxiation. The cause remains unknown.

The Daly West property now comprises the original holdings of the Daly West and Ivanhoe companies, the Morgan group of 15 patented claims adjoining the main group on the north the Dolberg group, the Quincy property adjoining the Daly West on the southeast, a control in the Little Bell lying immediately southeast of the Quincy, and a large share in the Weber Coal Co.

The extensive, complete, and highly efficient plant is the result of repeated enlargement and improvement. Underground there is a perfected system of lighting by electricity and of bell and flash signaling. The surface improvements include offices, boarding house for 400 men, bunk houses for rnen and officers, hoisting Works, an 80-foot Wooden gallows frame, a compressor plant, separate machine shops for mine and mill, a carpenter shop, and three concentrating mills. The equipment of the three mills and the mode of operating them are described under “Reduction” (pp. 30-31).

In general this property has been developed on an excellent system and is operated by business methods. Ore from the upper workings descends to the 900-foot level, whence the shipping ore, together with that from the 1,200, 1,400, and 1,500 foot levels, goes to the loading Station on the 1,200-foot level. The milling ore is hoisted to the surface, is automatically dumped, and passes to the bins at the head of the mill. The concentrates are reloaded into ears and sent to the loading station on the 1,200-foot level. From that point trains are drawn by horses, through the Daly West, Daly, and Ontario work tunnel, a distance of about 2.5 miles, to the loading station at the mouth of the tunnel in Park City. Here the concentrates are weighed and shipped by rail to the American Smelting & Relining Co.’s smelter in Salt Lake Valley.

In addition to exploring the ore-bearing limestone for other bonanzas, it was proposed in 1904 to develop the great Daly West lode in depth and to Work this on a greatly increased scale for milling ore. To this end an agreement was made with the Ontario and Daly mining companies to extend the deep Ontario drain tunnel to Daly West ground, as stated under “Ontario mine” (p. 138).

Production
This mine was opened with the definite object of working the Westward extension of the Ontario-Daly lode. The lode Was struck early and shipments were made almost from the start, The first dividend, 20 cents a share, amounting to $30,000, was paid in September, 1899. In January, 1900, the rate was increased to 25 cents, and it gradually rose until in September, 1903, it reached 65 cents a share, amounting to $117,000 a month, or $1,404,000 a year. At that time this mine Was paying a larger dividend than any other mine in the district and was in fact one of the largest dividend payers among the lead-silver mines of the world. This monthly rate was maintained until May, 1904, When, owing to depletion of the reserves of first-class ore, it was decided to reduce the dividend to 40 cents a month, which Was paid for the remainder of that year. Subsequently it was further reduced to 40 cents a quarter. The total product of this mine from 1893 to 1906, inclusive, sold for $11,203,420.22 and afforded in dividends $5,499,000. The record of the output and dividends, by years, is given in the following table:

Development
The Daly West ground contains lenticular replacement ore bodies in limestones, dipping gently northward, and lode deposits in the Daly-Daly West fracture zone, dipping steeply northward. Accordingly two types of development are found. In general the limestone has been opened for a vertical distance of 1,000 feet (from the apex near the Quincy shaft to and below the 900-foot level) and a horizontal distance of 3,000 feet. The great lode has been opened vertically 650 feet and horizontally nearly 3,000 feet.

The main Daly West workings have been opened through a shaft 1,650 feet deep from which levels have been run at depths of 900, 1,200, and 1,400 feet. The 900-foot level, extending to the Western limit of the property with two long crosscuts running south, constitutes the Work level for the upper part of the mine, Which embraces the workings in the beds in limestone. The Quincy shaft leads to levels turned at depths of 100, 200, 300, and 400 feet, and thence by a main` incline with levels leading off at regular intervals to the upper levels of the Daly West. The lower workings of the Daly West, opened to develop the great lode north of the shaft, include three drifts at 1,200, 1,400, and 1,500 feet, which extend for the length of the lode within this property, and connecting inclìnes that are connected also with the Workings of the Daly and of the Daly Judge. Excellent ventilation is obtained and the mine drainage, as in the other members of the series of properties, is eastward through the Ontario drain tunnel.

Geology and Ore Deposits of the Park City District, Utah. USGS 1912

Site Name

Primary: Daly West Mine
Secondary: Daly West Group
Secondary: United Park City Mines
Secondary: Park Utah Consolidated Mines

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Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Gold

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Location

State: Utah
County: Summit
District: Park City District

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Land Status

Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Type: Underground

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Ownership

Owner Name: United Park City Mines Co.

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Production

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1891
Year Last Production: 1965
Discovery Year: 1885
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M

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Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Middle Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Wasatch Mountains

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Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

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Orebody

Form: TABULAR, TABULAR

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Structure

Type: R
Description: Uinta-Cottonwood Arch, Sevier Overthrust Belt, Park City Anticline

Type: L
Description: Northeast Striking Fault Zones

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation To A Depth Of 300 Ft

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Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

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Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVERAGE GRADE FOR DALY WEST AND JUDGE IS .054 OZ/TON AU, 1202 OZ/TON AG, 8.73 % PB, 4.71% ZN, .373% CU

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Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Anglesite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

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Comments

Comment (Development): SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION BEGAN IN 1891, BY THE END OF 1892 THE SHAFT WAS DOWN TO 1255 FT AND A CONNECTION WAS MADE WITH THE DALY MINE. PRODUCTION BETWEEN 1891 AND 1898 WAS INTERMITTENT. OUTPUT PEAKED IN 1903. PROPERTY INCLUDES THE FORMER IVANHOE, MORGAN, DOLBERG, QUINCY, AND AN INTEREST IN THE LITTLE BELL PROPERTY. IN 1920 WAS CONSOLIDATED WITH PARK UTAH CONSOLIDATED MINES AND IN 1953 WITH UNITED PARK CITY MINES CO.

Comment (Production): ERICKSON, 1968, REPORTS THE TOTAL OUTPUT FROM THE DALY WEST AND JUDGE MINES AS FOLLOWS-79051 OZ AU 51264289 OZ AG 744384966 LBS PB. 401616365 LBS ZN, AND 31831461 LBS CU FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1875 TO 1967

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :1983

Comment (Deposit): BOTH BEDDED REPLACEMENT AND VEIN-TYPE ORE BODIES OCCUR. BEDDED DEPOSITS ARE STRATABOUND, TABULAR REPLACEMENT ZONES IN THE LOWER PARK CITY FORMATION, GENERALLY LYING WITHIN A FEW 10'S OF FEET FROM FISSURES, AND HAVING A THICKNESS OF 5 FT. THE MOST FAVORABLE REPLACEMENT HORIZON IS 40 FT ABOVE THE TOP OF THE WEBER QUARTZITE AND IS COMPRISED OF A PURE BLUE LIMESTONE. VEIN DEPOSITS ARE WELL DEVELOPED ALONG THE GREAT DALY-DALY WEST-ONTARIO FISSURE SYSTEM WHICH STRIKES ENE ACROSS THE PROPERTY.IN GENERAL THE VEIN DEPOSITS HAVE BEEN WORKED OVER A STRIKE LENGTH OF 3000 FT. AND DEPTH OF 650 FT. THE REPLACEMENT DEPOSITS HAVE BEEN WORKED OVER A VERTICAL DISTANCE OF 1000 FT AND HORIZONTAL DISTANCE OF 3000 FT

Comment (Workings): THE DALY WEST SHAFT IS 1650 FT DEEP WITH LEVELS AT 900, 1200, AND 1400 FT. THE 900 FT LEVEL OF THE DALY WEST CONNECTS WITH THE LOWER WORKINGS OF THE QUINCY MINE. LOWER WORKINGS OF THE DALY WEST CONNECT WITH THE DALY AND DALY-JUDGE MINES TO THE EAST AND WEST. THE TOTAL LENGTH OF WORKINGS IS PROBABLY NEAR 25,000 FT

Comment (Geology): FISSURE DEPOSITS LOCATED ALONG FAULT CONTACT BETWEEN THE WEBER QUARTZITE AND THE PARK CITY FORMATION. BEDDING DIPS 20 DEGREES TO THE NORTHWEST

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1880'S

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References

Reference (Deposit): ERIKSON, A.J., (EDITOR), 1968, PARK CITY DISTRICT, UTAH: GUIDEBOOK TO THE GEOLOGY OF UTAH, NO. 22, UTAH GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Reference (Deposit): BUTLER, B.S., LOUGHLIN, G.F., HEIKES, V.C., AND OTHERS, 1920, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER, NO. 111, 672 PP.

Reference (Deposit): BAKER, A.A., CALKINS, F.C., CRITTENDEN, M.D., JR., AND BROMFIELD, C.S., 1966, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE BRIGHTON QUADRANGLE, UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOL. QUAD. MAP GQ-534

Reference (Deposit): BARNES, M.P., AND SIMOS, J.S., 1968, ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PARK CITY DISTRICT WITH A CONTRIBUTION ON THE MAYFLOWER LODE, IN ORE DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES: AMER. INST. METALL. ENG., V.II, P. 1102

Reference (Production): BOUTWELL, 1912, ERICKSON, 1968

Reference (Deposit): BOUTWELL, J.M., 1912, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PARK CITY DISTRICT, UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER, NO. 77, 231 PP.

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