Middle Canyon Mine?

[RedRockXJ]

There's a decent looking mine that is gated off in Middle/Butterfield canyon on the north side of the road. Does anyone know the name and status of that mine? Just east of it, there's a foundation of a large building and flag pole outside. It's located about 40 29'13.36"N - 112 11'24.24"W

It's a great looking mine with a very heavy breeze and stream flowing out of the entrance. I imagine it is owned by Kennecott since it runs towards the pit?

[Derek]

I don't know if this is fact, but this is what I have been told. The flag pole and building foundation is an old Boy Scout camp. The tunnel is in fact owned by Kennecott and it serves/served as drainage tunnel for the mines on the other side of the mountain. I don't think that the mine was ever used for mineral extraction.

[RedRockXJ]

Cool thanks. It still looks like a really neat mine, and fairly large from the looks of it. I would imagine you are right. There is not much ore bins or equipment in the area, just tracks that run out of it and circle around the edge of the tailings pile. Unless they all transported the ore to a mill/smelter near the outside of the canyon, but I'm not aware of any in those areas.

[Derek]

The closest mill to this area would be the International Smelter just outside of Tooele, but the ore that it processed from the Bingham mines came to the smelter via an aerial tramway. One of my buddies went through the tunnel one day when the gate was left open. Apparently there were a few side tunnels, but it mainly went straight through and had some pretty deep water crossings in it. Exploring it turned out to not be worth it since when they came out in the Copper Pit security was all over them and they were lucky that they were minors and got out of any charges having their parents come and pick them up.

[RedRockXJ]

Haha..

[Ace McStud]

I've done a lot of research on and hiking in butterfield canyon, I have conflicting information that says it's either the butterfield tunnel or the saint joe tunnel.

Butterfield canyon is pretty amazing. I like to park on the main road and walk around on the mine access roads. I grew up in the area and have found and seen all sorts of crazy things (including more mineshafts than I can count on both hands) unfortunately at this point I only remember how to get back to a few of them.