Mine: Hancock Mine, Hancock, MI

Began → Hancock Mine → Became

Operated for: 60 years.

From: 1859

Owned by: Hancock Mining Co., then Hancock Consolidated Copper Co.j

Produced: Copper Ore

Method: Underground shafts, deepest 4,100 feet.

Railroad connection: Mineral Range Railroad

Stamp Mill/Smelter:

Until: 1919.

Lifetime Production: 17.9 million tons of refined copper.

Image info: An early view of the Hancock Mine.

Notes

East of Scott Street, south of US-41. This mine was just south and downhill of the Quincy Mine and was ultimately connected with Quincy buy a crosscut at 4,100 feet.

An underground copper mine consisting of three shafts and located in the city of Hancock. The Hancock Mining Company was organized in 1859 and worked the Sumner (Pewabic) Lode through three shafts; Shaft No. 1 was approx. 1,000 feet. The other two shafts, the Dupuis and the Hill, were about 200 feet deep. Mining continued until 1872 when the original lease ran out and the mine was sold. In 1873, the Sumner Mining Company was organized and worked the mine until 1880, when it was sold to the Hancock Copper Mining Company. In 1906, the company was reorganized into the Hancock Consolidated Mining Company and work resumed in the No. 1 shaft. Work was also started on a new, larger shaft that would intersect the Pewabic Lode at depth. This shaft bottomed out at 4,100 feet and a crosscut was driven at this depth that intersected with the No. 7 Quincy shaft. All work ceased in 1919. The Hancock Mine produced approximately 17.5 million pounds of refined copper. Other than the shaft openings (which have been covered), nothing remains of this mine. [MINDAT]

Time Line

1881. April 5. James Folley, a trammer employed at the Hancock mine, carelessly walked into the shaft opening in the fifty-fathom level and fell to a point half way between the sixty and seventy-fathom levels, about 120 feet. His injuries, while serious, are probably not fatal, and his recovery is hoped for. [DFP-1881-0405]

1883. William Ryan, the father of seven motherless children, had his head blown off by an explosion in the Hancock mine in the upper peninsula recently. [PHTH-1883-1115]

1883. William Dwyer slipped and fell two levels in the Hancock mine, dashing his brains out. [DFP-1883-1222]

1884. Edward Dunn was killed by a falling rock in the Hancock Mine Wednesday. [DFP-1884-1211]

1885. The Hancock copper mine, though being run at a loss, will be wrought till spring. [DFP-1885-0120]

1885. June 16. The Hancock copper mine ceased operations on the first of the month. The mine worked five months this year, and afforded 265 tone, 1,762 units of mineral. The closing down was in good order, and inflicted no hardship on the emplo9yees as all got other situations. [DFP-1885-0616]

1887. Forest fires are raging along the highlands of Portage Lake, between the canal and West Hancock it is doing heavy damage. The location of the Hancock mine is in imminent danger, and a large force is fighting hard near Quincy, Franklin and Pewabic mines. Thousands of cords of wood are burned, the wind is stiff and forest dry. [DFP-1887-0519]