A sepia toned postcard featuring a view of the Czar Shaft. The caption on the upper right reads “Czar Shaft (Copper Queen). Bisbee, Arizona. The postcard is unused and was published by the Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York. Clarence E Wittig Collection.

The Czar shaft was sunk in 1885 to the depth of 440 feet and provided carbonate copper ore. Due to low copper prices in 1886, a smelter was constructed next to the shaft. 1889, the Czar hoisted miners for the Holbrook Shaft along with its own. The Czar shaft was vulnerable to changes in the flow of water, especially during the monsoon. On September 1, 1903, part of the mine had been flooded with two feet of water. The Czar shaft had water that was copper rich and highly acidic and had to be pumped separately from cleaner water. On April 28th, 1907, the Czar shaft had to be shut down to be re-timbered and the work was completed July 7th, 1907. In the 1920s the Czar shaft was being used as a mining school and miners transferred to other mines after honing their skills at the Czar. The shaft was shut down in August 1930 but reopened on a lease basis in 1932 and miners sought out small and difficult to obtain ore. In 1944, all leases were canceled, and mining operations ceased. The Czar shaft eventually collapsed which led to a sinkhole forming.

1973.47.13