Alexander Agassiz (1835 – 1910)

Engineer and Mining Executive

2026 Inductee from Mining's Past

Agassiz was born in Neuchátel, Switzerland, and immigrated to the United States in 1849, joining his father Louis Agassiz. Thereupon, his father enrolled him in the Cambridge High School, before entering Harvard at the age of 15. He graduated from Harvard University in 1855, subsequently studying engineering and chemistry, and taking the degree of Bachelor of Science at the Harvard Lawrence Scientific School in 1857. In 1859, Agassiz became an assistant in the United States Coast Survey, onboard the Fauntleroy. In 1860, he became an agent for the Museum of Comparative Zoology and married Anna Russell. In 1866, E. J. Hulbert persuaded Agassiz's brother-in-law, Quincy Adams Shaw, and friends to invest in a rich copper lode discovered on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, called the Calumet Mine. In 1866, Agassiz visited the outcrop and noted that the Calumet Conglomerate was a porphyry deposit almost fourteen feet wide, dipping to the northwest at a 35-degree angle. The rich nature of the deposit convinced Shaw to purchase the land to the south, forming the Hecla Mining Company. Agassiz was then made treasurer of both companies. Convinced the deposit could be developed at a profit, Agassiz was made superintendent of both mines and arrived on site in March 1867.

One of the first projects Agassiz undertook was to change the openings of both mines so "the rock could be extracted with legitimate mining methods." With further investment from John Simpkins, improvements were made to the mills and almost 5 miles of railroad. In July, Agassiz's family joined him. By September 1868, Hecla was producing 185 tons of ingot, the Calumet 140, and both mills stamping 4000 tons of rock per month. Agassiz was able to place George Hardie in charge and returned to Cambridge in October. Agassiz continued to visit the mines every spring and fall.

In December 1869, Hecla paid its first dividend, and Calumet did so in August 1870. In May 1871, the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company was formed after consolidating with the Portland and Scott Mining Companies. Agassiz assumed the presidency until his death.

In 1883, Agassiz advanced mining operations by installing the Superior, a giant engine capable of lifting 24 tons of rock from a depth of 1,200 meters (3,900 feet). He also built a railroad and dredged a channel to navigable waters and installed state-of-the-art hoisting engines. From his copper fortune, he donated about US$500,000 to Harvard for the Museum of Comparative Zoology and other purposes.

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