Description

Humboldt Smelter, Humboldt, Arizona, with the Iron King Mine one mile east in the distance, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory. The Humboldt Smelter played a significant role in the historical development of the Big Bug Mining District. It was in operation from 1870 until the smelter ceased operation in 1937, and was comprised of a variety of buildings and structures directly related to its' smelting operations. The property at one time also had a more exclusive area known as “Nob Hill,” a residential neighborhood where the smelter’s managers and executives lived. Worker housing was also included, it consisted of several bunkhouses and small dwellings below the Nob Hill area. None of the residences and smelter buildings and structures are still standing on the Humboldt Smelter property today. The remaining structure left standing is one smelter stack viewable from the adjacent Highway 69, just to the south of the town of Humboldt.

Left behind since the mine/smelter's closing are more than 8 million tons of unwanted tailing and smelter wastes, i.e., arsenic, lead, cyanide, and zinc. Since the early 2000's, operations have been underway by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (AQED), to determine the extent of the area-wide contamination and determine a feasible plan for either its’ remediation and/or containment. The Iron King Mine/Smelter and surrounding area have been designated as a Superfund clean-up site. As of August, 2024, operations are still ongoing by the EPA/AQED, to finalize what needs to be done to the area based upon their studies; the EPA will issue a "Record of Decision" (ROD) once they conclude their findings.