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Kennecott Copper Mine & Visitors Center

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Kennecott Copper Mine in Utah The largest copper mine in the world! Weather permitting, The Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center typically opens on April 1st through October 31st. The visitors center is one of Salt Lake County's most popular tourist attractions. The center opened in 1992 and has hosted more than 2.7 million visitors. Kennecott is the second largest copper producer in the United States, providing approximately 13 percent of the country's copper needs. Kennecott produces approximately 300,000 tons of refined copper each year. This copper is used in electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, coin making and more. In addition to copper, the mine also produces about 400,000 ounces of gold, 4 million ounces of silver and 20 million pounds of molybdenum. Located 28 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, the mine is 2 3/4-miles across and 3/4-mile deep. It is so big that it can be seen from outer space. Standing at the overlook within the Bingham Canyon Mine, you can see, hear, and feel the breathtaking and awesome magnitude of this massive man-made excavation. Kennecott Utah Copper's Bingham Canyon Mine is the world's largest man-made excavation! While you watch the action in the mine, a descriptive narration recorded in several languages explains the operations. From the overlook, you can watch 240 and 320 ton capacity haulage trucks deliver copper ore to the in-pit crusher, where the material is reduced to the size of soccer balls before being loaded onto a five-mile conveyor that carries the ore to the Copperton Concentrator. Inside the enlarged Visitors Center, you and your family will take part in interactive displays and exhibits – including 3-D microscopes to examine rock and mineral samples, and displays showing how copper is used in your everyday life. You will also see exhibits ranging from old mining artifacts and model trucks to modern-day operations and environmental engineering as well as three-dimensional models that provide an educational and entertaining experience for people of all ages. Finish your tour with a dramatic new 16-minute video tour in their 90-seat theater, their history, present day operations, and future. About the Mine... * Kennecott's Bingham Canyon Mine has produced more copper than any mine in history - about 18.1 million tons. * The mine is 2-3/4 miles across at the top and 3/4 of a mile deep. 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. * The mine is so big, it can be seen by the space shuttle astronauts as they pass over the United States. * By 2015, the mine will be at least 500 feet deeper than it is now. * If you stretched out all the roads in the open pit mine, you'd have 500 miles of roadway - enough to reach from Salt Lake City to Denver. The center is open to the public seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. though Oct. 31, weather permitting. The tax-deductible admission fees are $5 for passenger vehicles/minivans; $25 for mini-tour buses; and $50 for tour buses. There is no charge for school buses, veterans' group tours, Scouts in uniform and vans from county-operated senior citizen centers. Address: 12800 South State Route 111, Bingham Canyon, UT Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - seven days a week. Please arrive by 7 p.m. to complete your tour. Cars will not be admitted later than 7:15 p.m. No reservations are necessary. click here for Kennecott's official website Utah Travel Guides, Free Coupons & Hot Deals Visitors Thank you for visiting this on-line version of our Utah guide and please feel free to contact us for personal assistance. Copyright 1998 - 2012 Visit Utah