The mountain was excavated under the supervision of the Army Corps of Engineers for the construction of the NORAD Combat Operations Center. Excavation began for NORAD Command Operations Center (COC) in Cheyenne Mountain on May 18, 1961,: by Utah Construction & Mining Company.: Clifton W. Livingston of the Colorado School of Mines was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers to consult upon use of controlled blasting for smooth-wall blasting techniques.: