Kennecott Utah Copper Mine

Today's adventure is the Kennecott Cooper Mine in Bingham Canyon Utah. I have said it before but pictures don't do places like this justice. This place is so much more massive that these pictures show that it's a shame to think that they represent the area. This hole is only one of one other man made thing that can be seen from space. The other of course being the China Wall.
Here are a few interesting facts about the mine.
It is the world's largest man-made excavation; over three quarters of a mile deep and covers 1,900 acres and currently 2 1/2 miles across at the top.
Over six billion tons of material have been removed since open-pit operations began in 1906.
The mine has yielded more than 17 million tons of copper, 23 million ounces of gold, 190 million ounces of silver and 850 million pounds of molybdenum.
Approximately 450,000 tons of material are removed daily. ( About 1/3 is ore and 2/3 waste rock.)
It takes a ton of ore to produce 12 pounds of copper. The ore in this mine is only on the average 0.6% copper.
The Kennecott Utah Copper produces approximately 320,000 tons of refined copper annually, plus molybdenum, gold and silver.

Well, I finally got myself into a picture were something made me look small. As you look at these pictures remember how large these tires are, so that when you see these little toy trucks on the roads you will realize how far away they are. The trucks can haul 255 tons, boy wouldn't they do a job on the roads if they got out and we think 18 wheelers beat the roads. How would you like to meet one of those bad boys coming at you. :-)

This is the storage area and repair shops.

Remember what I said about toy trucks. You can see them on the road and in the bottom of the pit.

Look at the row of little toy trucks going up the road.

I zoomed in on the deepest pit.

They are working on all the sides to expand them as well as going deeper. The copper smelter is the worlds cleans. The company spends millions on reclamation. On the way out we saw a deer browsing along the road side. After we drove past she walk across the road. As with all my pictures there are more on the picture album and these are still in the Utah album.

Tomorrow we leave for Idaho.