Relief Mine Company

Relief Mine Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Mining
Founded	1890s
Founder	John Hyrum Koyle
Headquarters	Salem , United States
Products	None (non-productive mine)
Website	reliefmine.com

The Dream Mine, also known as the Relief Mine, is a non-productive underground mine situated in Salem, Utah. It was founded by John Hyrum Koyle during the 1890s and officially incorporated in 1909. Koyle, both a founder and businessman, foretold that the mine would serve as a financial resource for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. His prophetic claims stirred controversy, ultimately leading to his excommunication from the LDS Church in 1948.

Following Koyle’s death in 1949, mining activities were discontinued in the 1960s. Nevertheless, his adherents, known as "Dream Miners," have continued to maintain the site and trade its stock as recently as 2016. Although no precious metals have been extracted, investors hold faith that the mine will eventually produce gold before the Second Coming, consistent with Koyle’s overarching prophetic business vision.

John Hyrum Koyle

Born on August 14, 1864, in Spanish Fork, Utah, John Koyle experienced a prophetic dream in 1886 that reinforced his conviction in the restored gospel of the LDS Church. Between 1888 and 1891, he served as a missionary in the Southern States Mission, gaining recognition for his prophetic dream experiences.

On August 27, 1894, Koyle reported a dream wherein the Angel Moroni revealed a hidden Nephite mine containing nine caverns filled with treasures such as the sword of Laban, Urim and Thummim, and golden plates. The angel instructed him to reopen and expand this mine to offer financial relief during an impending economic crisis. This vision became the foundation for the Dream Mine’s business model, intended to assist LDS Church members financially and support the gathering of Israel in the end times.

Historical context

During Koyle’s era, the LDS Church was transitioning into mainstream American religious culture, highlighted by events such as the 1890 Manifesto and Reed Smoot hearings, which addressed polygamy. In the early twentieth century, church leaders emphasized Joseph Smith’s First Vision while minimizing his mystical worldview and early treasure-seeking activities.

Historian D. Michael Quinn viewed the Dream Mine as an expression of early Mormonism’s magical beliefs tied to Joseph Smith’s “superstitious and schismatic” practices; LDS opposition reflected a rejection of this outlook. Folklorist Wayland Hand proposed that Koyle was influenced by financial difficulties faced by the LDS Church during Wilford Woodruff’s presidency (1889–1898). At that time, anti-polygamy legislation and infrastructure debts strained church finances. It is possible that Koyle saw the Dream Mine as a remedy to these economic challenges.

Development and formalization

Excavation at the mountain site envisioned by Koyle began on September 17, 1894, with six men initiating work. The location lies east of Salem within the Wasatch Mountains, near Knob Hill’s base. The mine was incorporated on March 4, 1909, issuing a total of 114,000 shares. Of these, around 42,000 shares with a $1 par value were sold publicly at $1.50 each. Early shareholders included prominent LDS figures such as J. Golden Kimball, Matthew Cowley, and Carter E. Grant (a nephew of Heber J. Grant). By 1910, Koyle had become bishop of Leland ward. Mining operations extended to considerable depth by 1913 when a pump was installed to prevent flooding.

Koyle asserted that on January 10, 1914, he was visited in a dream by two of the Three Nephites, who declared that the Dream Mine was a "Relief Mine" designed to provide financial assistance following disasters anticipated before the Second Coming. It was envisioned as an initial "City of Refuge," ensuring material sustenance until plural marriage and the United Order could be reinstated. The visitors also foretold "false rumors" and resistance from LDS Church authorities.

Resistance from the LDS Church

In 1913, James E. Talmage, a Mormon apostle and geologist serving as a mining advisor, examined ore samples from the Dream Mine and concluded they lacked value. On August 16 of that year, the LDS Church released a cautionary statement titled "A Warning Voice," advising against investing in enterprises based on dream revelations. The announcement emphasized that claims of mines discovered through dreams are typically unfounded.

Shortly afterward, on August 21, Koyle was removed from his position as bishop and replaced by Lars Olsen, who supported the church’s stance. This 1913 admonition was reiterated decades later in 1970 by LDS Church president Harold B. Lee.

Due to opposition from the LDS Church, the Dream Mine ceased operations in 1914 but reopened in September 1920 to settle a $2,000 debt owed to the Spanish Fork Church Co-Operative. Mining activities resumed, with the main shaft reaching a depth of , extending approximately through both drift and shaft methods. In 1928, Talmage publicly criticized the Dream Mine once again through articles published in the Deseret News.

Subsequent Developments

A small quantity of platinum was reportedly found within the mine in 1929. Five years later, Koyle and his adherents constructed an ore processing facility named the "White Sentinel" near the Dream Mine site. Finished in 1936, it processed a single ore shipment valued at $103.03 before ceasing operations the following year. On January 20, 1933, geologist Frederick J. Pack evaluated mineral specimens from the mine in the Deseret News, declaring them virtually worthless. An investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission uncovered no evidence of fraud; expenditures on improvements surpassed funds raised, and shareholders appeared content.

In 1947, Koyle underwent an LDS disciplinary council where he was compelled to renounce his prophetic claims concerning the Dream Mine or face excommunication. He signed a notarized denial published in the Deseret News on January 8, 1947, though he later asserted that he had been pressured into doing so. The church formally excommunicated him on April 18, 1948. Koyle passed away on May 17, 1949, in Payson, Utah.

The Relief Mine Company

The Relief Mine Company was established in 1962 by brothers Quayle and Sheldon Dixon as a successor to the Koyle Mining Company. The organization continues to conduct evaluation work on the mine site. Mining operations recommenced during the 1960s until progress was halted by an impenetrable capstone (caprock). Due to escalating costs, business focus shifted toward generating income through a rental property, a gravel pit, and an orchard irrigated using mine water. Geological surveys conducted during this era identified only limestone and quartzite deposits without any metallic minerals.

The Internal Revenue Service audited Relief Mine Company in 1981. By 1984, its shareholder base exceeded 6,000 individuals; by 2010 at least 706 stockholders remained active with shares valued up to $10 but commonly traded between $30 and $35. In May 2018, company reports indicated more than 7,500 active shareholders.

During the early twenty-first century, some Dream Mine supporters formed online groups dedicated to discussing both the mine and Koyle’s prophecies. Around the time of the 2016 United States presidential election, speculation arose that Donald Trump’s campaign might fulfill one of Koyle’s visions involving the Republican Party's elephant emblem.

As of 2016, minimal mining activities were maintained annually primarily to preserve Utah land claims associated with the mine. The company’s main sources of revenue continue to be its orchard operations, rental housing, and gravel extraction business.

External links

• Official ReliefMine.com website
• "Apocalyptic Paydirt in Utah," authored by Eric S. Peterson for Salt Lake City Weekly