Mine: Kearsarge Mine, Kearsarge, MI

Began → Kearsarge Mine → Became

Operated for: 64 Years

From: 1891

Owned by: Keweenaw Copper Company.

Produced: Copper Ore

Method: 

Railroad connection:

Stamp Mill/Smelter:

Until: 1956

Lifetime Production: 

Notes

Kearsarge Mine was located north of Calumet in Houghton County. There was a North Kearsarge mine and a South Kearsarge Mine. The North Mine had two shafts and was first worked in 1881. The South Mine also had two shafts and was first worked in 1897. Note: The Wolverine Mine was between the two Kearsage mines and had two more shafts, first worked in 1882.

An underground copper mine consisting of six shafts. Organized as the Kearsarge Mining Company in 1886, it worked the Kearsarge Lode on opposite sides of the Wolverine Mine and between 1887 and 1897 produced approximately 14.5 million pounds of refined copper. In 1897, the company was bought by the Osceola Consolidated Mining Company and was split into the North Kearsarge (four shafts) and the South Kearsarge (two shafts). South Kearsarge was closed in 1930 and never reopened. North Kearsarge closed in 1931, but then reopened in 1942 to supply the war effort and continued until 1956 when it was closed for good. The Kearsarge Mines are one of the best silver producers for specimens in the Keweenaw. [MINDAT]

Time Line

1911. For the past year, the Keweenaw Copper Company work was confined to the development of Kearsarge lode through No. 2 shaft, which was enlarged for a distance of 85 feet from the surface. The track of the skip has been widened to full gauge to allow the use of a 2 1/2 ton skip. The shaft was sunk 518 feet to a depth of 623 feet. Copper was seen, but was not followed as it was deemed important to attain depth as rapidly as possible until the shaft enters the superior grade of rock disclosed by the diamond drill core which was extracted at a depth of about 1,350 feet on the dip of the load in line with the shaft. [CN-1911-0221]