Historical, Economic, and Social Impacts
Historical, Economic, and Social Impacts
The mining industry in general contributed $1.75 billion to personal income in Nevada in 1995. Approximately 60,800 jobs in Nevada in 1995 came directly or indirectly from mining. All this comes from an industry that utilizes only one-tenth of one percent of Nevada land.
The MacArthur Pit in the Yerington District employed 99 people last year. The Robinson Project employs 430 people. The average weekly salary of Robinson Project employees is $846.15, compared to the average weekly salary for the rest of White Pine County: $513.75.
The history of Nevada is, to a great extent, the history of its mines. Nevada became a state due to the importance of Comstock Silver to the Union in the Civil War. However, betwen 1940 and 1978, copper was the most valuable metal mined in Nevada. In 1964, copper represented 60% of the state's mineral production.
Boom towns around the Robinson District and other mining areas brought people to Nevada from all over the United States and the world. Around McGill, communities arose of Serbs, Greeks, Austro-Hungarians and Japanese. The company provided housing, recreation and a hospital. Unions campaigned for better working conditions at these mines.
Nevada presently is one of the world's great producers of gold. The faithful old copper mines are still plugging along in the shadow of gold.
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