Contact was founded in the early 1870s primarily for its potential for gold, but soon it became evident that copper was the principal ore of the area.
Copper deposits from the “contact” between the Jurassic granodiorite stock and the Carboniferous sedimentary rocks occurred approximately 150 million years ago.
Development and production from the district have been intermittent since 1987, with considerable progress between 1905 and 1910. From 1915 to 1930, production records suggest that 1,180 tonnes of copper had been extracted, mostly from shallow workings. Over time, four mining districts were established within the region and, in 1926, mining success within the area compelled the Utah Construction Company to build the Oregon Short Line. This rail line would permit ore shipments from Contact to smelters in Salt Lake City. Today, Contact benefits from both nearby rail and highway transportation infrastructure. As copper increases in demand and value, the realization of this rich mining region’s full potential has never been more apparent.