The Ajo Mining District - Ajo, AZ - Arizona Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This plaque describes the American extraction of copper ore beginning in 1854, shortly after the area was purchased from Mexico. The first miners found tools left by the Spanish miners in the late 1700s. The native Americans had used the copper ore as a source of paint before the Spanish arrived.
The plaque reads,
"The Ajo Mining District
Americans first worked the copper deposits at Ajo in 1854, one year after the Gadsden purchase. These early American miners found abandoned workings and crude mining tools as mute evidence of earlier mining in the district.
During the next half century mining was confined to veins and other small bodies of high grade copper ore. Some ore was transported by mule train across the desert to Yuma for shipment to shelters in Swansea, Wales. Much of the mineralized ground in the district was staked for mining claims and several mining companies were formed.
An intensive diamond drilling campaign started in 1911 proved the existence of a large body of low grade copper ore and resulted in he construction of a leaching plant by the New Cornelia Copper company for treatment of the ore. The plant went into operation in May, 1917 and initiated large scale exploitation of the Ajo copper deposits."
The plaque is mounted on the base of the flag pole in front of the Ajo courthouse.

Marker Name: The Ajo Mining District Type of history commemorated: Place County: Pima Name of any agency/ agencies setting marker: Pima County Year placed: 1950

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