UTAH - Soldier Canyon Charcoal Kilns, Oquirrh Mountains, Utah

Soldier Canyon Charcoal Kiln - JD Jessop Photo

In Utah's Oquirrh Mountains about 3 miles up Soldier Canyon there are the remains of 3 old charcoal ovens. These ovens were built in the 1870's to burn logs and produce charcoal which was then used to fire the ovens at the Chicago and Waterman Smelters near the town of Stockton. The Oquirrh Mountains produced unbelievably rich totals of Gold, Silver, Lead and Zinc in their hey day. The mountains continue to be the richest single mineral deposit on the Earth due to the fact that the Bingham Canyon Mine owned by Rio Tinto and known locally as "Kennecott Utah Copper" churns and processes millions of tons of material annually in the north end of the range. The old charcoal kilns up Soldier Canyon are indicative of kilns that were used all over the old west for mining operations. These sites should be maintained and protected. If you ever visit these places be certain to follow the old adage.......Take nothing but Pictures - Leave nothing but footprints.

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