You Can See One Of The World's Largest Open Pit Mines Right Here In Utah, And It's A Sight To See
By Catherine Armstrong|Published May 02, 2019
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Catherine Armstrong
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Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
It’s hard to miss Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Bingham Copper Mine. The huge hole in the earth is more than 3,000 feet deep and 2.5 miles across, and it’s so large that it can be seen from space. The mine has long been a popular spot for tourists and locals alike to visit, but in 2014, a huge landslide closed the Visitor Center. Rio Tinto has just unveiled a brand new Visitor Center, and you’re going to want to plan a trip as soon as possible.
Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper Mine got its start in 1903, and it's gotten bigger and deeper every year. It's one of the largest open pit mines in the entire world, and it's so large that it's difficult to get a sense of its size in a photo. See those tiny trucks driving inside the mine?
The haulers in the mine are huge — they stand two stories tall! This is a tire from one of the trucks, and you can see that the people posing in front of it dwarf in comparison.
Visitors from all over the world, as well as locals, once flocked to the Visitor Center at the mine to get a peek at this huge hole first hand. In 2014, a massive rock slide closed the Visitor Center for good, but Rio Tino has just unveiled its new Visitor Experience, and it's not to be missed.
To take part in this experience, you'll need to book your tour time in advance. You'll start by parking at the Lark Visitor Lot, then you'll hop on the shuttle to ride up to the top of the mine.
The Visitor Experience includes all kinds of hands-on exhibits and information about the mine. During its time in operation over 116 years, the copper mine has produced more than 20 million tons of copper.
You'll also see some of the massive mining equipment up close. You'll be shocked at how huge these trucks are, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to take some unique selfies.
Walk over the mine overlook area and be prepared to be blown away. This is truly one of the planet's largest man-made holes, and it's impossible to get a sense of its size until you see it up close.
The mine is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Tours are offered seven days a week from April 1st through October 31st. Tickets are $5 per person; children under five are free. Proceeds from tickets are donated to the Kennecott Charitable Foundation.
Learn more about the visitor experience at Rio Tinto by visiting its website. Do you remember visiting the previous Visitor Center, and do you plan on checking out the new one?
Utah has a rich mining history, and one of our favorite previous mining towns is Park City. Check out Historic Main Street on this mountain trolley.
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