Date of Award
2016
Document Type
Open Access Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Industrial Archaeology (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Social Sciences
Advisor 1
Carol MacLennan
Committee Member 1
Fredric Quivik
Committee Member 2
Judith Perlinger
Abstract
The Calumet and Hecla Copper Mining Company in Houghton County, Michigan, was established in 1865 and closed its doors in 1968. This company was a major contributor in developing secondary copper processing and used these methods to produce copper even when its underground mines were closed. C&H built its own electrical transmission system that could have rivaled many during its time. This allowed the company to have the ability to produce and control its electrical network and expand, but it had major environmental effects. Polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs), used in transformer oil and other components were produced between about 1930 and the 1970s. They are known to be a carcinogen and to cause other harmful effects to both humans and the environment. This research describes the history of electrical development and maps C&H Torch Lake facilities to further understand how PCBs continue to affect the environment.
Recommended Citation
Zawisza, Emma M., "Powering an Industry: The History of the Calumet and Hecla Electrical System and the Environmental Consequences Left Behind", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2016.