Copper City is an abandoned mining community located on the eastern shore of Hetta Inlet, on the southwest coast of Prince of Wales Island, about 5.5 miles (9 km) north of Lime Point and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Hydaburg. The local name “Copper City” was first reported in 1905 by E.F. Dickins of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Hetta Inlet is a fjord that extends 20 miles (32 km) north from Cordova Bay.

The Copper City Mine was historically part of the Ketchikan Mining District, now within the Tongass National Forest. All copper-producing mines in southeastern Alaska are located in this district. The center of copper mining activity on Prince of Wales Island was Copper Mountain. The earliest significant developments were on the west coast, near Hetta Inlet, including the Copper Mountain, Jumbo, Red Wing, Copper City, and Corbin mines. A 250-ton (227-tonne) smelter was constructed at Copper Mountain. Long tramways and wharves were built at Niblack, Skowl Arm, Karta Bay, and Hetta Inlet. Sawmills and shops were erected, powered by steam or water. Before 1900, the district’s total metal output, including gold and silver by-products, was valued at about $200,000. Extensive mining operations followed, with six mines generating $339,000 in 1900 and ten mines producing $920,000 in 1906. Production decreased in 1907 due to a global depression in the copper trade, making low-grade ore mining unprofitable in Alaska and temporarily closing many mines.

The Copper City site was discovered in 1898, with mining operations occurring from 1904 to 1910. The mining consisted of underground workings with one known shaft reaching a depth of 300 feet (91 m). The host rock in this area is slate, and the ore body was about 4 feet (1.2 m) thick. The mine produced copper, gold, silver, and zinc. Read more here and here. Explore more of Copper City and Hetta Inlet here: