Bingham Canyon Copper Mine

USA / Utah / Herriman /
 copper mine, open-pit mine, interesting place
www.kennecott.com/

This is the deepest open-pit mine in the world. Huge copper mine located at Bingham Canyon.

Visitors' center is perched on the rim of the hole. There is an entrance fee.

Photo of the mine in November 1942 is courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Hayes, Brian: "Infrastructure: A field Guide to the Industrial Landscape. New York, W.W.Norton, 2005. p.20.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennecott_Copper_Mine
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   40°31'55"N   112°8'21"W

Comments

  • If you're in the Salt Lake City area, this is definitely worth a visit. I couldn't grasp the scale until I realized that a little yellow dot in the pit was a bus.
  • I visited this place a several years ago. IT IS HUGH! I am much more impressed with this big hole than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The Grand Canyon was formed over hundreds of millions of years. This HUGH PIT was done in 100 years, one shovel-full load at a time!
  • environmental disaster. Copper dust in everybodys drinking water.
  • It's an eyesore and an environmental travesty. You scan across beautiful mountains encompassing Salt Lake City and then there's this giant gash in the landscape.
  • I smile at your words every time I flip a light switch. would you prefer having no electricity?
  • And without copper you couldn't have posted your comment.
  • Show all comments
This article was last modified 2 years ago