Part 3/8:
The tour commenced with a 20-minute bus ride up to the current visitor center, perched on the rim of the vast pit. Upon arrival, I was met with a breathtaking view, difficult to comprehend in its entirety even in person. The Bingham Canyon Mine stretches over 3,400 feet deep, spans 2.5 miles in length, and covers nearly three square miles.
The mine employs giant haul trucks, primarily models from Kamatsu and Caterpillar, with capacities of either 250 or 320 tons. These massive trucks possess tires standing 12 feet tall and engines powerful enough to rival those of locomotives. The mining process also utilizes substantial shovels such as the P&H 4100 XPC, which can load ore into the haul trucks within three to four passes.