St. Joseph Lead Co. - 1960's dated New York Mining Stock Certificate

Lead Mining Stock. Nice vignette of miners at work in the tunnels. Scarce!!!

The St. Joe Minerals Corporation, a prominent American mining and resources company, had a rich history rooted in the lead-producing “Old Lead Belt” of southeastern Missouri. Established in 1864 as the St. Joseph Lead Company, the company initially focused on exploiting lead deposits in Bonne Terre. Over the subsequent decades, it expanded its operations by acquiring smaller competitors, eventually becoming the dominant force in lead production in the region.

In the 20th century, the company diversified its portfolio by entering the zinc, silver, coal, and oil and gas industries. This expansion led to a name change in 1974, with the company becoming the St. Joe Minerals Corporation. By the time of its acquisition, St. Joe had become the largest producer of lead and zinc in the United States.

However, in 1981, amidst a high-stakes takeover battle, the Fluor Corporation acquired St. Joe Minerals. Following the acquisition, the company faced a decline in metal prices, prompting Fluor to spin off St. Joe’s various assets throughout the decade. The lead mining interests were divested to the Doe Run Company, while the zinc operations became part of the Horsehead Corporation. Although the St. Joe Minerals Corporation ceased to exist as an independent entity, its legacy continues to live on through the properties and successor companies that operate in the historic mining regions it once controlled, such as the Viburnum Trend in Missouri.