Anyone have any info on old mining companies in Arizona or know how to research it?

Question

I am researching an old mining company called Consolidated Sonora Mines, Co that had mines in Mexico in the early 1900s. The company was incorporated in Arizona, but I do not know how to go about finding substantial information about it? Please help - answers appreciated greatly.

Answer 1

If the company was incorporated in Arizona, than its initial incorporation papers would be on file with the Arizona Corporation Commission.  For a nominal fee, you can order copies of the incorporation papers and any later updates for the company.

The incorporation papers will tell you what the primary goals of the company were, where their head office is located, how much initial funding they have and - most importantly - give names and addresses of the top company officers.  With that information, you can then use census records to look up more information on the individuals involved.

The corporation commission may also have later updates to the company's charter as well as note changes in ownership or the company closing down.

If the company was operating mines in Arizona, there would be records on the mine itself at the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources as well as possible documentation in the series of books entitled "History of Mining in Arizona" as well as county guides to local mining districts and claim files in the county records.  But if all their operations were in Mexico, than you would probably have to look for official records there.

For that time period, the company would most likely have been working on copper deposits in the Cananea region (south of Bisbee).  Note that it was not uncommon for people to organize companies with the idea of prospecting or speculating in mines and then (for a variety of reasons) never actually find a worthwhile deposit to turn into a producing mine.  As a result, there were many stock-selling mining companies that were companies in name only and never had any major mines associated with them.