The World’s Largest Open-Pit Copper Mine, Utah’s Bingham Canyon Mine Was A True Feat Of Engineering
The Beehive State has many claims to fame but there is one that is often overlooked — Utah is home to the world’s largest man-made open-pit copper mine. The Bingham Canyon Mine, also known as the Kennecott Copper Mine, is not only a remarkable place located near Salt Lake City, but this massive mine was truly a feat of engineering. It is definitely one Utah attraction that will intrigue generations for years to come.
The Bingham Canyon Mine is located in the Oquirrh Mountains, southwest of Salt Lake City. It first opened in 1903 and has become one of the most productive mines in the world. In fact, throughout the years, it has produced more than 20 million tons of refined copper ore.
The mine is well known due to its enormous size. It drops more than 0.25-miles down in the earth and is approximately 1,900 acres. It is so large that it is visible to the naked eye in space.
When mining first began at this site more than 100 years ago, shafts were sunk to remove gold, silver, and lead. However, this changed in the early 1900s when miners turned to open-pit mining.
With this process, miners would excavate copper-containing rocks from the surface downward in terraces. After many years of this process, a large pit began to form.
Today, this has turned into a massive operation with many moving parts from vehicles to people to ensure the process runs smoothly. The mine operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
You can visit this mine today with the Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Experience. Here, you can see first-hand how this mine works and the important role it plays.
This self-guided tour lasts approximately one hour and tickets should be purchased in advance. You can learn more about this tour on the Rio Tinto website.
The Bingham Canyon Mine plays an important piece in Utah history and one that you must certainly check out.
Learn more about the world’s largest man-made open-pit copper mine on the Rio Tinto website.
Have you ever taken a tour of this incredible mine? What did you learn and what did you enjoy most during the tour? Let us know in the comments!
After your tour, how about some ice cream? Check out Spilled Milk Ice Cream and Cereal Bar in Salt Lake City. This unique ice cream shop infuses ice cream and cereal to create one amazing creation!
Address: Bingham Copper Mine, Utah 84006, USA
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