The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company was a major copper-mining company based in the Michigan Copper Country. In the 19th century, the company paid out more than $72 million in shareholder dividends, more than any other mining company in the United States during that period.

The Calumet and Hecla Mining Company was a major copper mining company based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Founded in 1864, it was one of the most successful copper mining companies in the United States. The company operated for over a century, producing over 100 million tons of copper ore and yielding over $1 billion in profits.

The company was founded by two brothers, John and Andrew Hecla, who had immigrated from Finland to the United States in the 1850s. The brothers started their business by buying a small copper mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They quickly expanded their operations, buying up more mines in the area. By 1864, the brothers had formed the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company.

The company grew rapidly, and by the early 1900s, it was the largest copper producer in the world. The company was highly profitable, and it paid its shareholders generous dividends. The company also had a strong commitment to safety and environmental protection.

The company’s success continued until the late 1950s, when copper prices began to decline due to increased competition from foreign producers. The company struggled to stay afloat and eventually went bankrupt in 1968.

Today, the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company is remembered as one of the most successful copper mining companies in the United States. Its success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Hecla brothers and the thousands of miners who worked for the company over the years.