The Kennecott Copper Mine Tour: Is It Worth It?

One of the most remarkable sites in the Salt Lake City area is the Kennecott Copper Mine – also known as the Bingham Canyon Mine (its original name). This open pit copper mine is the largest man-made excavation on earth! It’s so large it can be seen from space! And, you can actually walk up to the edge of this massive hole! But you can only do this if you take the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour. I went on this tour myself one recent afternoon. So was it a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours? Here’s a detailed look at my experience to help answer that question.

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Where Exactly Is The Kennecott Copper Mine?

Any local Utahn (myself included) knows exactly where to find the Kennecott Copper Mine. It stands out very prominently on top of a mountain range (the Oquirrh Mountains) in the far southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley. It’s located about 25 miles southwest of downtown Salt Lake City. Because it’s a very visible topographic feature of the area, you can see it from all kinds of vantage points. In fact, I can see it from my house – even though it’s across the other side of the valley.

This Google Earth image gives you an even better idea about both the location and the sheer size of this open-pit mine…

My daughter recently reminded me that when she was little, she would always see the Mine in the distance and ask about it. And she remembers that I would tell her – “that is where money comes from.” A few years later, I did take her on the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour. We didn’t find any money (to her disappointment certainly). But it’s definitely an experience she enjoyed and still remembers. So yes, the tour is indeed kid-friendly (in case you were wondering).

Some Brief Kennecott Copper Mine History

Mining in these Oquirrh mountains began back in the mid-1800s, not long after Mormon settlers arrived in the valley. Originally, a canyon named Bingham Canyon ran through the south end of the mountain range. And when copper ore was discovered in this canyon, a mining town called Bingham Canyon soon followed.

Ultimately, it was surmised that the best way to mine the copper ore in Bingham Canyon was from the top, rather than from underground. And consequently, one of the country’s first commercial open-pit mines began operating in 1906. A few decades later, the mine was purchased by a mining corporation named Kennecott.

At its peak, the town of Bingham Canyon had about 15,000 residents. But as the mine grew in size and depth, the town was swallowed up by the mining operation, and no longer exists. This unusual fate is very different than the typical Old West mining boomtown to ghost town story.

In the years that have followed, this Bingham Canyon Mine has produced more copper than any other mine in history (19 million tons), and currently generates profits of around 2 billion dollars annually. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1967.

Planning For Your Tour

The Kennecott Copper Mine Tour is officially called the Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Experience. Rio Tinto is the huge international mining corporation that now owns and operates the mine. This Visitor Experience is offered every day from 9:30 – 2:30, and runs from April through end of October.

The tour starts at a parking area at the base of the Mine. From there, visitors are shuttled up to the edge of the famous open pit. The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes and only accommodates 30 passengers. Consequently then, only 60 people per hour can take the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour. So it’s highly recommended that you book your tickets ahead of time.

Fortunately, booking your tickets is very easy. You simply go to the Tour’s official website, where you’ll see the ticket availability for each day and time slot. For my recent June visit, I was able to book an afternoon ticket on the same morning. But I did notice a Sold Out sign, when I was at the site. So booking ahead is most definitely a good idea.

The Kennecott Copper Mine Tour costs $6 per person. Children under the age of 5 are free. Once you purchase your online tickets, you will receive a QR code to use when you arrive at the shuttle pickup point. I’ve indicated the location here if you are interested right now. The address is also included on your e-ticket. (The money generated from the tour is donated to charity by Rio Tinto.)

Starting the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour

Your ticket will recommend that you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled departure time. When you arrive, you’ll find an ample parking lot, and a couple of small structures to accommodate tour participants.

These include a gift shop, a restroom building, and a couple of shaded seating areas. As I approached this area, I was immediately greeted by an employee who asked to see my ticket and then crossed my name off the list for the 1:30 tour.

I arrived about 20 minutes early. This gave me plenty of time to wander around and capture some photos of the Bingham Canyon Mine towering above me. As you can see, it really looks like a multi-colored mountain.

Signs outside the gift shop indicate the presence of snacks and drinks inside. But the selection is quite meager – so don’t come hungry. Do come to the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour with water though (and sunscreen). Once you leave the waiting area and arrive at the mine itself, there is very little shade and it does get hot on summer afternoons.

Shortly before my assigned departure time, a call was made to board the shuttle bus. As I mentioned, this bus accommodate 30 passengers, and it was completely full for my assigned 1:30 time.

Riding Up To The Mine

The ride up to the Mine itself lasts between 10-15 minutes. The bus is comfortable and a video plays during the entire length of the trip on a screen in the front. It quickly educates you on the Kennecott Copper Mine’s entire mining operation. You’ll learn how rock from the Mine is removed, transported, crushed, and ultimately turned into giant copper plates.

All along the ascent, you’ll get a close up view of rock that’s been discarded over the edge of the mine. This is rock deemed not worthy of mineral extraction due to its low ore content. So it is dumped over the edge. This is what makes up the exterior part of the Mine that we all see from the valley floor.

At the Edge of the Mine

Once you reach the top and exit the bus, you are greeted by a sign that welcomes you to the largest human-made excavation on Earth. The Bingham Canyon Mine is 2.5 miles across and nearly a mile deep! I think that the opportunity to stand on the edge of this massive open pit is reason enough to take the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour.

From this sign, you’ll only walk a short distance before you’ll find yourself looking out over this impressive sight. Visitors are allowed access to two different viewing platforms. And from these platforms, you can catch a bird’s-eye view of the 24 hour/day mining operations.

It’s A Self-Guided Tour

The Kennecott Copper Mine Tour is mostly self-guided. When you disembark from the shuttle, you will be greeted by a Mine employee (in the yellow jacket below), who will give you a quick overview of the site. But you are mostly left on your own to explore. These employees are available to answer any questions, but they also serve in a security capacity to make sure people stay safe. While I was there, they were constantly reminding kids to not climb on the rails. And there are plenty of barriers to keep visitors from wandering into places they shouldn’t.

Throughout the site, you’ll find displays that teach you the history, the operational details, and the economics of the Mine. And some of these displays are very creative. As an example, the display in the photo below is situated inside the bed of one of the Mine’s massive loading trucks.

Visiting The Second Level

As I mentioned, you will have access to two different viewing platforms while at the Mine’s edge. One is situated below the other. And they are connected by a walkway.

As you descend below the first platform on your way to the second, a somewhat more expansive view of the mine opens up.

And once you reach the lower platform, you’ll find that the overall view is a little better than the upper view. So don’t skip the walk down! This is where you can most effectively observe everything going on in the Mine below.

Also note the telescopic view finders. These are free and will allow you to better examine some of the massive mining equipment far below.

I spent quite a bit of time on this second platform watching the mining operations. And the yellow-jacketed guide/guards were happy to answer any question that I had. I learned about the 100 ft drills that I could see far across the Mine (for drilling the holes to plant explosives). I saw giant shovels filling up giant haul trucks with blasted rock. I saw some of those haul trucks taking ore-rich rock to a crusher. I saw other haul trucks taking waste rock and dumping it over the top of the mine. And I saw giant trucks spraying water on the ground to control dust. It was all very interesting to just stand there and watch it all happen.

As you walk around the site, you will have the chance to stand next to and examine several pieces of the mining equipment. This definitely helps you gain perspective on their massive size. The shovel scoop below is a perfect example. The signage tells visitors that it can lift 120 tons of rock per scoop.

Safety First

You will also learn about Rio Tinto’s commitment to safety while taking the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour. One of the very first things the guide/guard pointed out when we arrived was a massive landslide adjacent to the viewing platforms. The Bingham Canyon Mine Landslide occurred in 2013 when part of the mine’s northwest wall broke free and slid all the way to the bottom, covering two thirds of the pit’s floor. It is considered the largest North American non-volcanic landslide in history. But, because of all the on-site monitoring equipment (like those on display below), the slide was predicted, and no one was injured.

The Journey to 99.9%

While taking the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour, you will not only see the mining operations in action, but you will also gain further insight into how the rock from this Mine is turned into 99.9% pure copper and other precious minerals. The process is explained on the shuttle ride video (both up and back), plus there is signage at the Mine as well.

This process starts with crushing the extracted rock to basketball-sized pieces. This is done by a crusher located in the Mine itself. In fact, you can see the crusher to the west of the viewing platforms.

You will learn that the basketball-sized rock is then put on a conveyer belt and transported 5 miles to a group of buildings called the Copperton Concentrator. At the concentrator, the rock is crushed into even smaller pieces, and then using chemistry, the copper and other minerals are extracted. If you pay attention as you ride the shuttle back down to the parking lot, you can see the conveyer belt along the side of the road. You can also see the Copperton Concentrator in the distance during the ride.

From the Concentrator, a mineral concentrate is piped 17 miles north to a Smelter and Refinery near the southern shoreline of the Great Salt Lake. Here it melted into liquid, other minerals are extracted, and further purification steps take place. In the end, giant plates of 99.9% copper are created along with other precious minerals including gold, silver, and tellurium (a vital and valuable component of solar energy panels.)

This was obviously a very brief summary. You can learn even more details when you take the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour yourself.

Ending the Tour

All in all, I spent an hour exploring the site, watching the mining operations, reading all the educational signage, and talking with the guide/guards. I think that I did stay a little longer than the average visitor – but I am The Thorough Tripper after all. And I did need to wait an extra 15 minutes for the next shuttle bus to arrive. But that simply gave me more time to soak it all in. For my 1:30 pm tour, I left the top at 3:00 pm. You are not given any time limit for your self-guided experience. But when it comes to planning your own time at the top, you should know that the last shuttle leaves at 3:30 pm.

This is also a good time to mention that you’ll find a nice restroom facility near the upper platform – in case you were wondering. And also, I did not have a cellphone signal at any time while at the top.

Final Thoughts

So is this Kennecott Copper Mine Tour worth it? Absolutely! I think if you are local who has looked over at the mine all your life but has never visited, you definitely need to go. And if you are visitor, looking for something unique to do in the Salt Lake City area, you should take the tour too. When else will you get the chance to stand next to the largest excavation on earth? I consider the Kennecott Copper Mine Tour one of the great things to do in the Salt Lake Valley.

If you are looking for other great things to do in the Salt Lake City area, then check out these posts:

7 Amazing Things To Do In Salt Lake City – A Local’s Guide

The 3 Best Ways To Visit The Great Salt Lake

Hiking At Brighton Utah – Silver Lake, Twin Lakes, & Lake Solitude

And if you want something great to eat before or after your Kennecott Copper Mine Tour, then be sure to check out these posts:

A Quest To Find The Best Sandwich in Salt Lake City

Red Iguana – Why It’s My Favorite Restaurant in Salt Lake City