Mammoth Miners Memorial oral history collection
Voices from a Mammoth Copper Ledge: an oral history transcription
Collection area: Arizona and Southwest
Collection dates: 2003-2004
This collection contains transcripts of recorded interviews with 22 former San Manuel miners (including a female miner) and two wives of miners. Topics covered include mining folklore, women in mining, pranks, mining terminology, rescue and safety, nicknames, strikes, administration, pay, life in Mammoth, and many others. Also included are 29 audio cassettes of recorded interviews with former miners.
The Mammoth Miners Memorial oral history collection memorializes the experiences of underground copper miners in the Mammoth, Arizona area and particularly workers in the San Manuel Mine. The San Manuel Mine, located 45 miles northeast of Tucson, opened in 1952 and by the time its closure was announced by new owner BHP Billiton in 1999 had mined a record breaking 14 billion tons of ore and was the largest underground copper mine in the country. Around 2,200 miners were employed to mine 356 miles of tunnels. The mine and its predecessors supported the nearby town of Mammoth, Arizona where many workers lived. In 2003 the mine officially stopped production and the remaining mining structures were demolished. The Mammoth Miners Memorial group was formed to commemorate the experience of these miners and the more than 50 men who lost their lives in the San Manuel mine.
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