by Mark Duggan | Jul 26, 2014
Tucson, Ariz. – I became interested in exploring copper mining in Arizona when I saw several photographs of the Tucson skyline from the 1940s. The images showed a smoky haze hanging in the sky, completely obscuring the view of the Santa Catalina and Rincon...
by Mark Duggan | Jun 30, 2014
Tucson, Ariz. – When the San Manuel Mine northeast of Tucson closed in 1999, it was the largest underground copper mine in the U.S., with more than 2,000 people working in 350+ miles of tunnels and a nearby smelter. The copper market had just gone bust,...
by Mark Duggan | May 29, 2014
Tucson, Ariz. – The names stand out on early maps of the Arizona Territory: Hamlets like Ruby and Silver Bell. Mines named The World’s Fair, Old Dominion, and The Heavy Weight. But they’re not to be found on modern maps of Arizona. When the copper booms...