Introduction to San Manuel Mine History
Introduction to San Manuel Mine History
The San Manuel mine, located north of Tucson, produced millions of tons of copper ore before it closed in 1999. The Miners Story Project interviewed dozens of miners who worked at the giant underground mine to preserve the history of the operation, the miners, and the towns where the miners lived. This video introduction gives an overview San Manuel history.
I worked there,, still worked there in the town ,
You mean when bhp shut the mine down to drive up copper prices
anyone know the name of the guy in the blue ADIDAS shirt?
I worked there at level 2015 for the summer of ’73….right out of high school and right before heading off for college. I came out of that mine like a tight knot from swinging that doublejack as a chute tapper. I’m pretty sure in this video there is the photo of our training supervisor Johnny Bunch….I think his name was. Cool guy and a good teacher. He was the baseball coach for years at San Manuel High. RIP Johnny….you taught me well. I STILL have my helmet and steel-toed boots and belt. I cherish these things. 50 years ago….so hard to believe. God Bless all you guys who remember underground and what it was like. jbeinarizona
It was a great job!!I spent 23 years working under ground,,it was sad to see it close down!
BHP closed San Manuel to make a statement. BHP was never going to allow San Manuel to ever open because they needed someone to blame for the failures of BHP. They were incapable of running an operation when times got tough and they needed a scapegoat for their inability to properly manage their U.S. holdings. I was there for the last 10 years, my dad got 25 years in and retired at closure. It put me through school and employed me after school. One of the biggest mistakes BHP ever did. Copper prices sailed a few years later but their outside "experts" said it could never turn a profit. They were wrong. I know because I got to work with a couple of those "experts" and they told me about their "due diligence" while they were contracted by BHP.
San Manuel "The Last of The Transfer Raise Miners"
(Magma/BHP
https://youtu.be/I_Tr7R7kqO8
The man on the far left is my Uncle Mike Robles, he is so handsome
My dad worked there from 1987 to the day it closed
My childhood was defined by those smoke stacks. On the off chance anyone remembers Doug Nelson… I’m his oldest. Please feel free to say Hi.
0.23 CREW 3 BOARDING 5 SHAFT CAGE, 0.34 CHIPY SHAFTS A B C AND D, 0.39 TRACK CREW RICHEY GONZALIS,S BROTHER IN THE CENTER, 0.41 JOHN MORTINSON TROLLY MOTOR MOTORMAN 15 CAR TRAIN 2675 LEVEL, 0.46 10 CAR ASEA TRAIN,. 0.55 CREW 3 AT 5 SHAFT, ROW 1 LEFT JOHN RAY WITH PEACE SIGN NEXT TO RAUL GARISH, EDDY APADOCA ,GEORGE GOMEZ, JOHN MARLER, BOB HOWARD,JESUS CALDERONE, BOSS CALLED BRILLO PAD, 2ND ROW FRANK SANTAMARIA, DANNY SANCHEZ, TONY MARTINEZ, ? DON ARCHALETTA. CHARLEY MARTINEZ, ? ,?, ?, ROW, 3 FREDDY QUEROSE CALLED DUCK , JERRY HEDRICKS, ?,?, ART FELEX, CRUSE_, ?,?,?,?, ART ALAMEDA, THE ? MARKS ARE FOR NAMES I,M NOT SURE OR FORGOT ! 0.58 GRIZZLEY LEVEL 2615 CHUTE TAPPERS ,1.14 MAGMA MINERS IN THE PAST ,1.16 TROLLY MOTORMAN CREW 3 STEVE TORREZ I THINK, 1.21 DON SHELTON UNION P PRESIDENT, 1.23 TIMBER REPAIR MINERS , 1.28 MORE MINERS FROM THE PAST, THIS FILM IS ON CREW 3 NOT LONG BEFOR THE MINE CLOSED !….////
Hey, if you worked there, America is proud of you! Anything left for the casual visitor to see? Vista along the edge of the pit anywhere?
My papa worked their he is still alive and remembers every thing
Red Hawk now has the mineral rights from BHP. They’re making money from Copper Creek. Cause of the gold deposits too. Talked to the core samplers. They even found good deposits still in the mine. They also found some at Tiger.
I’ll watch this over and over again just to see the photo of my dad who worked the mines from 1937 as a mucker until his retirement in 1972 as a developmental engineer. I am so proud to be a Miner’s daughter.
My father worked in the mines his two friends died in that in that mine
My dad Arturo Garcia worked that mine for many years till he retired. I worked 13 years in the San Manuel Smelter as a copper refiner till the company closed. During the time of the flash furnace we could out produce any smelter in the world. We would process all the ore our under ground mine sent our way along with concentrate from Asarco, PD, Kenekot because of our volume.
The smoke from the smelters would go to Mammoth. We were in Mammoth when they were demolished
I started there in early 80 worked there until 89. I started as a chute tapper, then quickly went to car loader and raise blaster… Then surface equipment operator my final year before I bailed for better money… I used to love calling in the bombs, then setting it off and feeling that compression on my body from it… It was all an experience I will never forget and glad I had the opportunity to do.
I hate BHP for what they did!!!!
I worked there from late 96 until they closed in 99. I was only there for 2.8 years. In that time was car loader,chute topper,battery motorman,trollymoterman,raise blaster,and a chute blaster. And a TSR. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was on A crew. I know work for Freeport Mcmoran. It’s an open pit mine. The experience I had at sanmanuel will never compare. We are a dying breed. God bless to all of my brothers.
I worked there for 13 years, until it closed for good. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
I worked their from 96 to 99 underground as a timber rustler.
It’s was a great job!
I was one of a group of UofA student "weekend warriors" who
worked either as chute tappers or loaders between 1973 to 1974. Was tough work but it taught me to respect those who labor day in and day out. I became an engineer in oil and gas and had a great career but will never forget that work and still hold the brass numbered chip dear to my heart.
I started my mining career there in 1994 as a chute tapper. Also my father and a few others from superior worked there till it was shut down in 1999.
RECAP ON TWO OF THE NAMES IN THE GROUP AT 5 SHAFT 0.23 ,BRILLO PAD, IS A FORMAN, RUBEN RADONDO, AND CRUSE, IS CRUSE ARVESO,A TROLLY MOTORMAN THE GUYS AT SLIDE 1.01 ARE PROBABLY ALL CHUTE TAPPERS AT THE END OF A GRIZZLY DRIFT THE MAN IN THE REAR WITH HIS HAD UP ON THE SAFTEY CABLE MIGHT BE THE DRAW BOSS AL COTA, WHO WE CALLED COLUMBO !….////