World's Largest Man-made Hole - Bingham Copper Mine in Utah

The largest man-made hole on Earth is located about 30 miles outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. For nearly 120 years the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine has been open-cut or open-pit mining for copper, gold, silver, and many more minerals and metals. Mining in Bingham Canyon dates back another 45 years beyond that, as it was originally underground mining that took place in this mountain within the Rocky Mountains.

Today the copper mine is operated by Rio Tinto, one of the largest mining companies in the world. The mine runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It employs over 2,000 people directly and over 10,000 indirectly through local suppliers and contractors.

The Utah Copper Mine is open for visitors to observe active mining operations during the months when snow isn’t a concern, which is usually April through October. Starting in late May or early June in 2023, sightseeing bus tours will be departing Monday through Saturday from downtown Salt Lake City. These fully-narrated bus tours will be led by an expert local and last 3.5 to 4 hours, including travel time which is about 60 miles roundtrip. Tours will depart at 1:00 PM from the Radisson Downtown Hotel on 215 W South Temple, parking will be available in a public lot across the street for a small fee. RESERVATIONS are required and must be booked online. Click the button below for details, including photos and videos of what you’ll see on this tour which has been one of the most popular in Salt Lake City for decades.