Anaconda Company

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One of the largest American mining corporations to have operated in the 20th century. The company was founded in 1880, reached a peak of production in the 1950s, and in 1977 was bought by the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and eventually dissolved. Although copper was the original focus of Anaconda's operations, the company gradually diversified its ore mining interests to include aluminum, silver, uranium, and oil.

During the 1950s, Anaconda, along with other national mining companies, had invested in uranium mining as well as oil drilling in New Mexico, and had operated major production sites in the Grants mineral belt.

Photo Credit: 

 
"Homestake Uranium Mill, Grants, NM, August 1959," photograph, (2000-017-B23-F05-7). Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.

Published Works: 
People of Darkness (1980)
Term Type: 
Cultural Reference