Rio tinto kennecott copper mine has a new visitor center. Important in the formation of the copper industry in the late nineteenth century were enos a. The mine is 234 miles across at the top and 34 of a mile deep. The kennecott utah copper mine, also known as the bingham canyon copper mine, is the largest and richest copper mine in history, with over 110 years of openpit mining. Would you tell a friend to buy a ticket in advance because this place may sell out. The mine is owned by rio tinto group, a britishaustralian multinational corporation. Our metals are used to drive innovation and technology in all aspects of life. Upon kennecotts creation, they merged their braden copper company property in chile, as well as 25 percent of the utah copper company, into kennecott. Reaping profits fueled by americas high demand for copper, kennecott copper corporation invested in mines in chile and the lower48.
This tour is full of incredible photo opportunities. Charles caldwell hawley, a kennecott storythree mines, four men and one hundred years 18971997. Kennecott copper corporation, at one time the largest producer of copper in the world. Thomas parry billings, history of the bingham mining district, written c. In 2011 kennecott utah copper llc announced a proposal to expand the life of its bingham canyon mine located in the southwest salt lake county. See more ideas about small towns, utah and salt lake city. Rio tinto kennecott copper mine got its start in 1903, and its gotten bigger and deeper every year. The bingham canyon mine, more commonly known as kennecott copper mine among locals, is an openpit mining operation extracting a large porphyry copper deposit southwest of salt lake city, utah, in the oquirrh mountains. By the time the kennecott mines closed in 1938 the corporation had grown into one of the largest minerals companies in. Aug 31, 2012 ghosts of kennecott, the story of stephen birch stephen birch was one of thousands who came north in 1898 seeking their fortunes.
Standard oil of ohio sohio in 1981 acquired kennecott, including the companys utah copper operations which had over 7,500 employees. It was in the 1930s that the hill was gone and mining work started to dig a pit. On memorial day we decided to have a new family adventure. The history of kennecott is the history of mining in the 20th century and this book does an excellent job of conveying that. In 1936, kennecott copper corporation bought out the utah copper company. Utahs mining history in pictures part two upr utah public radio. Having said that, i found the book to be oddly organized and fairly technical. Bingham canyon in utah, just southwest of salt lake city. Jan 17, 2014 a small town at the top of bingham canyon, ut where my grandpa was born.
Discover how ore gets refined to become copper an essential element in todays technology. Kennecott became a bustling mining camp filled with miners and their families. Nov 12, 2018 chad and ria visit the 8th wonder of the world. Everyone was forced to move and the town was swallowed by the kennecott copper mine. With over 20 million tons of refined copper ore produced in the past 116 years, its one of the top performing mines in. Throughout the years, the manuscripts division has processed and arranged a variety of materials from it, resulting in a total of 677 cartons, boxes and tubes of accessible records detailing the history of the corporation, which are currently. Kennecott utah copper news newspapers books scholar jstor july 20 learn how and when to remove this template message. The mine also swallowed a canyon and community bingham, continues to eat into the mountains, and has created a large plume of polluted groundwater beneath salt lake valley. Kennecotts bingham canyon mine has produced more copper than any mine in historyabout 18. Salt lake citys urban growth and kennecott utah copper.
Mining began in bingham canyon, utah, around 1863 with picks, dynamite, and. Finish your tour with a dramatic new 16minute video tour in their 90seat theater, their history, present day operations, and future. Many ethnicities coexisted in this little mining town from the late 1800s until the mid 1950s. Jun 18, 2019 the bingham canyon mine is an openpit copper mine in the oquirrh mountains to the west of salt lake city in utah in the united states. The visitor experience is dedicated to educating the public about the importance mining plays in modern life, safe mining practices. Video shots, taken in may, 1995, of railroad train activity in and around the worlds largest open pit strip mine of the kennecott copper co. Moores assessment is based on fact sheets kennecott utah copper. Feb 24, 2016 video shots, taken in may, 1995, of railroad train activity in and around the worlds largest open pit strip mine of the kennecott copper co. The easiest way to get there is by driving or taking a guided day trip from utahs capital. Kennecott utah copperbingham canyon mine atlas obscura. Kennecott copper corporation, at one time the largest producer of copper in the world, thus played a key role in economic and industrial development. He found his high in the wrangell mountains of alaska. The kennecott utah copper mine in bingham canyon is also the richest copper mine in history, producing gold and silver, too. As it traces the story of the three mines, the narrative follows four mining.
It is two and a half miles wide and a threefourths mile deep. Coracurrent with the disoovery and activity of the klcaadike, within a 100mile radius fm the mver and its trhtaries there was a rush of prospectors to valdez in the spring of 1898. On this 75mile adventure, experience this engineering wonder of the world known to be the biggest excavation in history. The bingham copper mine aka kennecott copper mine in salt lake. Salt lake city, utah our kennecott mine is a worldclass, integrated copper mining operation located just outside salt lake city, utah, in the united states. The kennecott mines national historic landmark includes the land and mining claims that formed the foundation for the kennecott copper corporation, later the kennecott minerals company. Bingham canyon mine just might land in the record books. The plumes were caused by historical mining practices in the kennecott. The mine has been in production since 1906, and has resulted in the creation of a pit over 0. Digging into utah mining history through the kennecott.
If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Founded in 1903, kennecotts bingham canyon mine is one of the largest manmade openpit excavations in the world. A whole mountain of copper is actually being moved away, the news reported. Three mines, four men, and one hundred years, 18971997, authored by alaskan. A kennecott story goodreads meet your next favorite book. Much of the historic mining legacy in alaska focuses on the search and development of gold. Kennecott utah copper llc kuc, a division of rio tinto group, is a mining, smelting, and. As of december 2011, bingham open pit ore reserves were 835 mt with average grades 0. A kennecott story ebook by charles caldwell hawley rakuten kobo. As part of uprs chapter of the morning edition book club, we have.
As pioneers in mining and metals, we produce materials essential for human progress. See all 1 bingham canyon open pit copper mine tours on tripadvisor. Information on this site was converted from a hard cover book. Its corporate headquarters are located in south jordan, utah. The kennecott copper mine has produced more copper than any other mine in the world18. These dimensions make it the most extensive manmade excavation in the world. Kennecott landslide is one for the record books the. Information on kennecott copper mine, the worlds largest excavation and openpit copper mine, located west of salt lake city, utah.
This book recounts how kennecott was formed from the merger of three mining operations one in alaska, one in utah, and one in chile, how it led the way in mining technologies, and how it was in. History of nevada mines division kennecott copper corporation by russell r. Slc guided tours explore the kennecott copper mine, the worlds largest excavation and openpit copper mine. Kennecott utah copper llc utah department of environmental. The mine is the largest manmade excavation in the world and is considered to have produced more copper than any other mine in history more than 19 million tons. Established in 1903, kennecott mining corporation operated 5 mines in the area.
The kennecott copper mine is located at the edge of the threequartermiledeep 1kilometerdeep pit mine, about 28 miles 45 kilometers southwest of salt lake city. Visit the kennecott utah copper mine salt lake city tours. In 1985 operations ceased at the bingham canyon mine. The bingham canyon mine is an openpit copper mine in the oquirrh mountains to the west of salt lake city in utah in the united states. The best kennecott copper mine bingham canyon mine tours. The operational and environmental cleanup activities at kennecott utah copper llcs kennecott bingham canyon mine, copperton concentrator, smelter, refinery, tailings facility and the various ancillary facilities are regulated under a number of federal and state programs with authority to oversee the work pursued by kennecott and other third parties. Kennecott copper railroad at bingham canyon open pit mine. From medicine, food and shampoo, to cell phones, computers, cat scans and hybrid electric cars, nearly everything you use today relies on materials that we produce. Sightseeing bus tours of salt lake city attractions including temple square, utah copper mine, great salt lake, and tabernacle choir performances. Willard marriott library 295 south 1500 east, suite 5400 salt lake city, utah 84112. Digging into utah mining history through the kennecott copper. The kennecott copper corporation records were originally donated to the marriott library in the 1990s.
This pollution is a problem that has not been solved. The copper mine became so large that its visible from space. T he history of kennecott copper corporation is inseparable from the story of the development of copper mining in utah. Learn about the history of this amazing mine and see firsthand the gigantic scale of its operation, vehicles, and artifacts. The copper mine tour kennecott salt lake city tours. This book recounts how kennecott was formed from the merger of three mining operations one in alaska, one in utah, and one in chile, how it led the way in mining technologies, and how it was in turn affected by the economy and politics of the day. Elliott 19121998 associate professor of history university of nevada 1956 table of contents chapter i discovery and early development of the copper district 2 chapter ii mining and transportation development in the copper camps to 1909 12 chapter iii the boom copper. I recently read a phenomenal book about the most innovative of early mining companies, titled a kennecott story. They are at the rio tinto kennecott copper mine and show us why we need to take our families here for a visit. Geology of the bingham canyon porphyry cumoau deposit, utah. This abandoned copper mining camp is a national historic landmark district. Its one of the largest open pit mines in the entire world, and. This book would be enjoyed by technical mining people, lovers of history. Bingham canyon company says more than 165 million tons of rock tumbled to the mine.
Kennecott mines national historic landmark wrangell st. Establishment and growth of kennecott utah copper company 1908 present 32. Jul 15, 2014 the history of kennecott is the history of mining in the 20th century and this book does an excellent job of conveying that. The operation is so immense, it can be seen from space. Bingham canyon open pit copper mine 2020 all you need to. The expansion project, called cornerstone, included widening the bingham canyon pit to accommodate operations focused on the mining and processing of ore located on the southeast margin of the pit. Kennecots bingham canyon mine has produced more copper than any mine in history about 18. Kennecott operates the bingham canyon mine, one of the largest openpit copper mines in the world in bingham canyon, salt lake county, utah. Kennecott has been mining and processing minerals from the rich ore body of the bingham canyon mine since 1903, and is even today one of the top producing mines in the world. We recommend booking bingham canyon open pit copper mine tours ahead of time to secure your spot. April 6, 2020the visitors center is currently closed. I was surprised that dad has lived in utah his whole life and never visited the mine. Kennecott ceased removing copper ore by rail from the.
This book recounts how kennecott was formed from the merger of three mining. The copper operations at bingham canyon mine are managed through kennecott utah copper corporation which operates the mine, a concentrator plant, a smelter, and a refinery. Kennecott copper corporation, at one time the largest producer of copper in the. The visitor experience is dedicated to educating the public about the importance. Located about 25 miles southwest of salt lake city, utah, the bingham canyon mine has operated for over a century and continues to produce copper, gold, silver and other. Its one of the largest open pit mines in the entire world, and its so large that its difficult to get a sense of its size in a photo. In 1925, a geologist predicted that the area would soon be mined out. You could stack two sears towers now known as the willis building on top of each other and still not reach the top of the mine. In 1915, to dilute the cost of railroad construction to support the mines, and to find new ventures for the capital produced by the alaskan mine, kennecott copper corporation was incorporated from the various financial interests involved. Hawley, who has studied alaska mining history for more than 50 years, traces the story of three signature copper mines. It is also, indirectly, a history of industrial development in the us during the 20th century, which is also very interesting. The bingham canyon mine is operated by kennecott utah copper, a wholly owned subsidiary of rio tinto. At rio tintos kennecott utah copper, we mine essential elements that make modern living possible. New labor agreements were negotiated in 1986, and resumption of all kennecott utah copper operations occurred in 1987.