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| UtahXL »
Historical Mining Towns»
Mines of Utah Towns of Utah»Bingham Canyon Mine |
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Bingham Canyon Mine |
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Bingham Canyon Mine has one of the largest copper reserves in Utah, USA. This mine is situated in the Oquirrh Mountains. The total mine area is about 1,900 acres and is 1.2 km deep. The Bingham Canyon Mine is considered to be one of the largest man-made excavations. The mine has proper integrated copper operation procedures and is considered to be one of the best in the world. The mine is also regarded as one of the most productive mines in the world. Records point out that the mine has yielded over 17 million tons of copper, 652 tons of silver, 5386 tons of silver over the years. So, the mine is one of the largest in the Utah region.
The infrastructure that supports the status of the mine is quite impressive. The daily mining capacity comes close to 408 kilo ton.
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Electric shovels carry up to 56 cubic yards of ore in a single scoop. Large dump trucks are employed, which have the capacity of carrying 231 tons of ore at a time. Again, there is a five-mile series of conveyors, which take the ore to the Copperton concentrator and flotation plant.
In 1850 minerals were first discovered in the Bingham Canyon. Extraction in the Bingham Canyon Mine, however, took place much later in about 1863 when the potential of the Canyon's mine reserves were accepted. Initially, the extraction was very difficult due to the uneven land surface but with the construction of the railroad later on aided the productivity to a large extent. There was rapid expansion of the Bingham Canyon Mine in the 20th century. Due to this rapid production, settlements also developed nearby with large residential communities. Copperton is one township at the mouth of the Bingham Canyon that survived the onslaught of time.
You can feel the breathtaking and awesome power of the largest man made excavation on the earth when you stand about 6700 ft above sea level and look at the Bingham Canyon Mine. The Visitor Center of the mine houses several artifacts and documents relating to the history of the mine. The Center is open to the public seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. The season time is April 1 to October 31. The charges are: Passenger Vehicles $4.00; Mini Tour Buses $20.00: Tour Buses $40.00. There is no admission charge for school buses.
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