Copper was first noticed in this area by stampeders on their way to the Klondike in 1897, however they were after gold and not copper. Nothing much happened here until 1898, when Jack McIntyre staked the first claim. He was a prospector, so it is unlikely that he actually mined the property. Chances are that he sold the claim and carried on prospecting. At least his name doesn't show up anymore in any reports concerning the Copper King mine.
During 1899 most of the area had been staked and several mines were developed.
However only the Copper King concerns us here, because besides being the first mine in
the Whitehorse area, it is also of importance to the Miles Canyon Historical Railway Society
The reason being, that the railway property is close to the old mine. The mine railroad could be extended to the old adit, which would make a great model mine.
Anyway,by 1900 they managed to get into production and that year they shipped nine tons of bornite ore south. It graded 46.4% copper. Only highgrade ore could be shipped, as the costs were very high, first by horse and wagon to Whitehorse, then by train to Skagway and then by steamer to wherever the nearest smelter was. In 1907 an accident (Yukon Archives) occurred in the mine, which cost the lives of two men.One has to understand, that mining in those days was pretty basic  with a minimum of equipment and such. Therefore, when a miner ran into ice underground, like permafrost, they would built a fire and thaw the ground. In 1908 copper prices dropped and there is no mention of the Copper King for the next eight years or so.