Shelby Copper Mining
Shelby Copper Mining – Ely was settled in the fall of 1878 when the Selby Copper Mining & Smelting Company established a small smelter at the site. A post office was established in November of that year.
At the time there wasn’t much interest in copper mining, and Ely remained a camp of little significance well into the 1880s. The settlement was little more than a stage station and post office – no business district had developed.
Ely finally got the boost it needed in 1887, when the state legislature designated Ely as White Pine County’s seat of government.
By 1900 the copper deposits near Ely were attracting new attention. In 1902 approximately $500,000 in copper was produced in the district. In 1903 many of the claims were consolidated under the ownership of the White Pine Copper Company. A second company, The Giroux Consolidated Mining Company, made promising copper ore discoveries in one its shafts.
In late 1905 construction started on the 140-mile Nevada Northern Railway, linking Ely to Cobre on the Southern Pacific main line.
With the railroad on the way, smelters being constructed, and millions of tons of ore in reserve, Ely became a boom town in 1906.
This is what the mining area looks like today. With the technology of todays mining equipment, this area looks like a piece of art from above. With the different layers and colors. Precise piling of material as they dig into the earth.
Shelby Copper Mining
22 Replies to “Shelby Copper Mining”
Places like these paid my salary for many many years. Most people are not aware how different mining is today – cleaner, more enviro friendly and in some cases when the mines have run their course they turn them into parks or back to nature. Great story.
Thank you, there are so many parts of the country that made their living in mining and these places here I notice it is almost like art work how they pile up the earth they don’t want. So many different colors of rocks that really don’t show up in the photos.
Wow Sandra. These are great. Thank you. Also, the old period photographs really capture the times.
You are very welcome RJ, mining was such a huge way of life, I do like learning the history of these old towns. Amazing how the earth provides everything we need.
Very nice 👍🏻👌🏻
Beautiful 😍
Thank you very much Seraja.😊
😍💋
It seems to me more alive in the past, today it appears lifeless.
The history of this city is very interesting.
I think so as well.
This is nice Does the town still exist?? 🤣😎🙃
Yes, there is a tiny little town there of a handful of homes.
Wow I bet the mine is dead though
It is still running, we could see trucks in there moving..
Wow 😅😎🙃
Artwork indeed! Interesting history and beautiful photography, Sandra.
Thank you Kellye 😊
Impressive ! and interesting…Thanks, Sandra. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you Francine, you to 🙂
Beautiful article on Shelby Copper Mining It may have started small but now it has become a big one thanks for sharing with excellent photos 🙂.👌👌
Thank you 🙂
My pleasure 🥰 read my story 😃 also