Mine Tales: A thousand years of mining history in Pinal County
by William Ascarza | Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Mining has played a significant role in the history of Pinal County. Early mining dates back more than 1,000 years, as Native Americans mined chrysocolla using large diabase hammers for jewelry and trade.
More concentrated and successful mining efforts followed, beginning with the Silver King Mine. It was discovered by an Army soldier named Sullivan in 1873 and rediscovered two years later by a mining party led by Mason, Benjamin Regan, William H. Long and Isaac Copeland, who inaugurated it the Pioneer mining district.
The Silver King Mine became known for its exceptionally rich ore. A steadfast producer until implementation of the Sherman Act, which demonetized silver in 1893, the mine’s total production from 1875 to its decline in the 1920s was around $6.5 million in period values. By that time it reached a depth of 714 feet.
