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.

Salt Lake City Tour

5/31/2007
Today we took a bus tour of Salt Lake City. The tour started at 4:30 pm so that we would get to the rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at 7:00 pm.

This is called the Bee Hive House because if you expand the picture you can see the model of a beehive on top of the house. This was Brigham Young's in town house.

These Fox Gloves are in front of the Bee Hive House. I have a close up of one of them in my Utah album.

The above picture is from a hill overlooking Salt Lake City.

This statue is to honor the Pony Express riders. The Pony Express route went through Salt Lake City. The Pony Express only lasted for 18 months because by then the telegraph wires extended all the way across the country. It cost $5.00 to sent a letter by Pony Express, that is equivalent to $100.00 today. It was very successful in it's day, only one rider was killed and only one mail delivery lost in it's 18 months of existence..

This is Brigham Young's Farm House in the country.

Sorry about this picture of the Capital but they are working on it. This is the best view I could get and this is just a side view. Since they are working on it, it is closed to the public.

View of the rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the Tabernacle. It was really great to get to go into the Tabernacle and hear them rehearse. The organ is a master piece, a one of a kind. Be sure to click on this one to enlarge it, it is impressive. The organist is just in front of the choir in the middle.

This picture shows some of the hundreds of people who come just to listen to the rehearsal.

When we can out of the building we stopped to talk to one of the men who are posted around the grounds to watch to be sure the public behaves them self. We told him how much we enjoyed hearing the choir and what a beautiful area the Temple Square is. He told us about the DVD that the choir makes for Christmas and then he pulled a CD of the Choir out of his vest pocket and gave it to Peggy. What a nice gesture. I don't know why the Mormons were persecuted to begin with, for that matter I don't know why any religion is persecuted as look as they allow you your right to chose your religion. I have always found the LDS's ( Latter Day Saints) to be friendly, good and hardworking people. I worked with one in forestry for 10 years and he was one of the hardest working persons I have ever worked with.

There are more pictures on my Utah picture album.

Tomorrow we have to take the Motorhome to MotoSat to have the controller updated, that's part of the satellite system. Thank goodness it's free.