Regal mine, Globe, Arizona

The Regal mine was a chrysotile mine in Gila County, Arizona, on the Salt River near Globe.^8,9 Its owner, E. Schaaf-Regelman, told Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, in 1924 that "the Regal Mines are opposite the Salt Banks of the Salt River," above Roosevelt Lake, and the journal reported that he bought the site in 1919.¹ A 1929 article in the journal dates the mine's operations from 1919.⁴ The sources place it differently: a 1944 report gives "49 miles north of Globe," and a 1958 report "on the Apache Indian Reservation 40 miles northeast of Globe in Salt River Canyon."^9,10

The Schaaf-Regelman years

A 1928 article in Asbestos said nearly all of "the approximately one thousand acres belonging to the Regal Mine lie on a mountain slope," rising "nearly 2000 feet above the Salt River."¹¹ In 1921 the journal named H. E. Hacker as "the manager of the Regal Mine."² Schaaf-Regelman said in 1925 that "during its several years of idleness" development work had readied the mine, and that it "resumed mining operations, beginning March 1st," with "several carloads of crude" already shipped east.³ In 1926 he called it "the richest mine in the production of Crude Nos. 1 and 2 per ton of rock mined," and said that, "due to lack of transportation and power facilities," mill rock was being kept "for future milling operations."⁵ On June 1, 1927, according to the journal, John L. Alexander became manager, and air compressors and milling machinery were "to be installed shortly."⁶

The mill and the 1929 shutdown

The journal's review of 1928 counted "the erection of the new mill" at the Regal Mines as progress, and in March 1929 it reported that "the new mill at the Regal Mine in Arizona is a complete success."^4,12 The same 1929 article said that before the mill the mine "produced only handcobbed Crude No. 1 and No. 2," and that its diesel power plant stood "about fifty miles from the nearest railroad station."⁴ A 1930 advertisement named Schaaf-Regelman as "Owning and Operating Regal Asbestos Mines, Inc."¹³ A 1931 article in Asbestos reported that "the Regal mine was shut down in the early summmer of 1929."¹⁴

Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company

In 1942 Asbestos reported that the Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company was "operating the old Regal group of asbestos deposits, near Globe," and "employs about 14 men."¹⁵ In 1944, drawing on The Mining Journal of Phoenix, the trade journal reported that the company was "undergoing a general reorganization," that "a crew of 25 men" was at work, and that the main work was "milling to filter grade and producing Nos. 1 and 2 Crude."⁹ The company's president, Chas. E. Hunziker, wrote in 1946 that Arizona asbestos "was selected by the U. S. Navy, and the Maritime Commission, for the purification of condensate from steam engines" during the war, adding "in particular from the Regal Mine owned by the Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Corporation."¹⁶ The U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook for 1947 reported that the company "mined and milled fiber from the Regal mine."¹⁷

Jaquays

The Minerals Yearbook for 1952 reported that Jaquays Mining Corp. took over the Regal mine "on June 1, 1952," and that it was "formerly operated by Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Co."¹⁸ A 1975 profile in Asbestos said D. W. Jaquays "purchased the Regal Mine and the old Globe Mill" in 1952.¹⁹ The yearbook lists Jaquays's shipments of chrysotile from the Regal and Chrysotile mines in 1964 and 1965, and a 1966 summary in Asbestos of the Bureau's report on Arizona called Jaquays "the leading producer," whose ore "was hand-sorted at the mine and shipped to the company's asbestos mill at Globe."^8,20,21 By 1975 Asbestos listed the Regal among the company's "presently-inactive" mines.^19,22

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.³

Location

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1919

• Ownership: “the Regal Mines, the site of which he bought in 1919” (E. Schaaf-Regelman), p. 11¹
• Opened: “since 1919, when operations began”, p. 18⁴

1921

• Worked: “H. E. Hacker, the manager of the Regal Mine”, p. 39²

1924

• Ownership: “Mr. Regelman's holdings in Arizona comprise about 1000 acres” (E. Schaaf-Regelman), p. 11¹
• Description: “opposite the Salt Banks of the Salt River”, said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 11¹

1925

• Idle: “During its several years of idleness”, said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 24³
• Worked: “this mine has resumed mining operations, beginning March 1st” (E. Schaaf-Regelman), said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 24³

1926

• Description: “the richest mine in the production of Crude Nos. 1 and 2 per ton of rock mined”, said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 22⁵
• Mill: “all mill rock ... is being carefully kept for future milling operations”, said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 22⁵
• Output: “At the Regal mine production has been increased”, said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 22⁵

1927

• Mill: “air compressors and milling machinery, which are to be installed shortly”, p. 14⁶
• Output: “the Regal Mine produces in close relation to demand”, p. 42⁷
• Worked: “a new manager was put in charge of the Regal Mines, Mr. John L. Alexander”, p. 14⁶

1928

• Mill: “and that of the Regal Mines in Arizona”, p. 5¹²
• Description: “approximately one thousand acres ... on a mountain slope”, p. 10¹¹
• Description: “opposite the Salt Banks on the Salt River, a few miles above Roosevelt Lake”, p. 10¹¹

1929

• Mill: “the new mill at the Regal Mine in Arizona is a complete success”, p. 18⁴
• Description: “the plant is about fifty miles from the nearest railroad station”, p. 18⁴
• Idle: “The Regal mine was shut down in the early summer of 1929”, p. 20¹⁴

1930

• Worked: “Owning and Operating Regal Asbestos Mines, Inc., producers of Arizona asbestos” (Regal Asbestos Mines, Inc.; E. Schaaf-Regelman), said by E. Schaaf-Regelman, p. 17¹³

1942

• Workforce: “Employs about 14 men” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), p. 36¹⁵
• Worked: “Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company operating the old Regal group of deposits near Globe” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), p. 36¹⁵
• Buyers: “Arizona asbestos was selected by the U. S. Navy, and the Maritime Commission, for the purification of condensate” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Corporation), said by Chas. E. Hunziker (President, Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Co.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 20¹⁶

1943

• Worked: “The Regal mine on the Salt River was also a prominent producer”, said by Jack L. Neal, Secretary, Arizona Asbestos Producers Association, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 14²³

1944

• Workforce: “A crew of 25 men employed at the property” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), as reported by The Mining Journal (Phoenix, Ariz.), p. 34⁹
• Mill: “Milling to filter grade and producing Nos. 1 and 2 Crude; additions to the milling plant planned” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), as reported by The Mining Journal (Phoenix, Ariz.), p. 34⁹
• Description: “Old Regal group of asbestos claims, 49 miles north of Globe, in Gila County” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), as reported by The Mining Journal (Phoenix, Ariz.), p. 34⁹
• Ownership: “Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company undergoing a general reorganization; new officers” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Company), as reported by The Mining Journal (Phoenix, Ariz.), p. 34⁹

1946

• Ownership: “the Regal Mine owned by the Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Corporation” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Corporation), said by Chas. E. Hunziker (President, Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Co.), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 20¹⁶

1947

• Worked: “mined and milled fiber from the Regal mine” (Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Co.), p. 2¹⁷

1952

• Worked: “D. W. Jaquays, Regal & Canadian Mines” (D. W. Jaquays), p. 50²⁴
• Worked: “Jaquays Mining Corp. ... took over the Regal mine” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 2¹⁸
• Ownership: “In 1952 he purchased the Regal Mine and the old Globe Mill and incorporated the operation as the present-day owner and operating firm” (D. W. Jaquays), p. 6¹⁹
• Ownership: “on June 1, 1952, took over the Regal mine, formerly operated by Arizona Chrysotile Asbestos Co.” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 2¹⁸

1953

• Worked: “D. W. Jaquays Corporation who also operates the Regal mine” (D. W. Jaquays Corporation), said by Jack L. Neal, Secretary, Arizona Asbestos Producers Association, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 16²³

1958

• Description: “Ore comes from the Regal mine, on the Apache Indian Reservation 40 miles northeast of Globe in Salt River Canyon” (Jaquays Mining Corporation), p. 46¹⁰
• Worked: “Ore comes from the Regal mine” (Jaquays Mining Corporation), p. 46¹⁰

1961

• Worked: “the Jaquays Mining Corporation, operators of the Regal and Chrysotile Mines” (Jaquays Mining Corporation), said by D. W. Jaquays, President, Jaquays Mining Corporation, as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 18²⁵
• Worked: “the Regal mine and mill operations of Jaquays Mining Corp.” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 13²⁶
• Description: “Selective mining at the Regal mine and mill operations of Jaquays Mining Corp. in Arizona were described” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), as reported by Bureau of Mines Information Circular 7986, p. 13²⁶

1964

• Worked: “Jaquays Mining Corp. from the Regal ... mine” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 2⁸
• Fiber: “chrysotile” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 2⁸
• Worked: “The leading producer was Jaquays Mining Corporation, operator of the Regal and Chrysotile mines” (Jaquays Mining Corporation), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 25²¹

1965

• Worked: “Jaquays Mining Corp. from the Regal and Chrysotile Mines” (Jaquays Mining Corp.), p. 2²⁰
• Worked: “selectively mined and hand-sorted chrysotile abestos ore at the Regal and Chrysotile mines” (Jaquays Mining Corporation), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 20²⁷

1975

• Idle: “Other company properties presently inactive include the Regal Mine” (Jaquays Asbestos Corporation), p. 6¹⁹
• Idle: “presently-inactive” (Jaquays Asbestos Corporation), p. 22²²

Other names

Documents call this mine “Regal mine”, “Regal”, “Regal Mine”, “Regal Mines”, “Regal Asbestos Mines, Inc.”, “old Regal group of asbestos claims”.

See also

• Jaquays Mining Corp.: the company's documents, people, products and plants
• Asbestos exposure sites in Arizona
• All asbestos mines

References

1. Asbestos Magazine, 1924, May 1924 (May 1, 1924), p. 11.
2. Asbestos Magazine, 1921, May 1921 (May 1, 1921), p. 39.
3. Asbestos Magazine, 1925, May 1925 (May 1, 1925), p. 24.
4. Asbestos Magazine, 1929, March 1929 (March 1, 1929), p. 18.
5. Asbestos Magazine, 1926, December 1926 (December 1, 1926), p. 22.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1927, July 1927 (July 1, 1927), p. 14.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1927, November 1927 (November 1, 1927), p. 42.
8. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1964 (January 1, 1965), p. 2.
9. Asbestos Magazine, 1944, March 1944 (March 1, 1944), p. 34.
10. Asbestos Magazine, 1958, December 1958 (December 1, 1958), p. 46.
11. Asbestos Magazine, 1928, March 1928 (March 1, 1928), p. 10.
12. Asbestos Magazine, 1929, January 1929 (January 1, 1929), p. 5.
13. Asbestos Magazine, 1930, January 1930 (January 1, 1930), p. 17.
14. Asbestos Magazine, 1931, June 1931 (June 1, 1931), p. 20.
15. Asbestos Magazine, 1942, August 1942 (August 1, 1942), p. 36.
16. Asbestos Magazine, 1946, March 1946 (March 1, 1946), p. 20.
17. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1947 (January 1, 1948), p. 2.
18. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1952 (January 1, 1953), p. 2.
19. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, October 1975 (October 1, 1975), p. 6.
20. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1965 (January 1, 1966), p. 2.
21. Asbestos Magazine, 1966, October 1966 (October 1, 1966), p. 25.
22. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, December 1975 (December 1, 1975), p. 22.
23. Asbestos Magazine, 1953, October 1953 (October 1, 1953), pp. 14, 16.
24. Asbestos Magazine, 1952, June 1952 (June 1, 1952), p. 50.
25. Asbestos Magazine, 1961, May 1961 (May 1, 1961), p. 18.
26. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1961 (January 1, 1962), p. 13.
27. Asbestos Magazine, 1967, August 1967 (August 1, 1967), p. 20.