University of Wyoming
A. Royce Wolfe (d. 1978) was an executive with the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO). ASARCO was founded in 1899 by Henry H. Rogers, William Rockefeller, Adolph Lewisohn, Robert S. Town, Anton Eilers, and Leonard Lewisohn. At its creation ASARCO consisted of 23 different smelting companies. The metals industry-rich Guggenheim family gained control of ASARCO through aggressive business means and ASARCO would be headed by a member of the Guggenheim family until 1957.
ASARCO’s expansion and acquisition continued during the years prior to World War I. The outbreak of World War I created a huge need for metals, such as copper, and ASARCO benefited since Europe was largely dependent on the United States for its copper supply. By 1929 ASARCO was the largest refiner of nonferrous metals in the world. ASARCO did not benefit as much during World War II as Europe's reliance on U.S. copper was not as great. After World War II, secondary products became increasingly important for ASARCO, including bismuth, antimony, indium, arsenic, and tellurium.
By the 1950s, ASARCO's expansion focused on mining, particularly copper mining. By the early 1970s copper was accounting for nearly two-thirds of ASARCO's earnings. In 1975, it officially changed its name to Asarco, Inc. By the early 1980s the price of copper was dropping so ASARCO continued to diversify, becoming a major force in specialty chemicals, metal finishing, and electronics.
The American Smelters Securities Company (ASSC) was organized in 1905 as a public company but was controlled by ASARCO officers and director. Since expansion further into mining would cost much more than ASARCO possessed in cash resources, ASSC offered securities guaranteed by ASARCO to finance new and expensive projects.
The collection contains by-laws of the American Smelters Securities Company (1905-1959); certificates of incorporation of American Smelting and Refining Company (1905-1932); copies of American Smelting and Refining Company Assets and Liabilities (1900-1902); first mortgage and deed of trust for American Smelting and Refining Company (1935), annual reports of the American Smelting and Refining Company (1903-1956), and a 1962 report. There are charts of American Smelting and Refining Company plants, interests, smelters, cyanide mills, and other. Included are circular letters to the Lima, Peru, office, and employees of American Smelting (1901, 1902, 1958). The collection also contains economic reports of the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (1941-1942). Articles by American Smelting and Refining Company and various individuals concern such topics as electrolytic copper, silver, engineering, gold and the monetary problem, improving world trade conditions, international bimetallism, silver export, titanium, marketing of nonferrous metals and ores, and the McIntyre Mine development of the National Lead Company. There is correspondence of A.R. Wolfe (1946-1958) and a Mining Club of New York membership list (1968). Publications include Handy and Harman Annual Reviews of the Silver Market (1940-1948), programs for H.R.H. Emir Faisal (1945-1946), hearings, and documents on fair competition for the copper industry, Bureau of Labor bulletins, and newsletters. Additionally, there is genealogical data on the Hubbard family of Massachusetts.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by A. Royce Wolfe at the date of processing.
This material was received from A. Royce Wolfe in 1974 and 1982.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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