Utah Copper Startup of Open-Pit Mine - August 1906

     This picture shows the August 1906 startup of the Utah Copper’s large-scale open-pit copper mine operation at the bottom of “The Copper Hill”. The Boston Con had started their operation near the top of “The Hill” five months earlier. Two steam shovels can be seen. Note the narrow levels away from the shovels – they had been dug by smaller equipment; the shovels themselves had excavated wider levels and higher banks in their immediate vicinity.

     The entry to the Utah Copper’s underground test mine is near the canyon bottom below the steam shovel operations. Ore from the test mine was sent to the 300-ton-per-day Copperton test mill that was just below the mouth of Dry Fork.The results of the ore grade and tonnage and of the milling tests from the test mine were positive; they led to the development of the open-pit mine.

     The roadway along the canyon bottom connected the main part of Bingham with Upper Bingham (Copperfield).

     The Utah Copper open-pit mine rapidly expanded from this relatively small operation. Additional levels were developed from which waste rock was stripped and ore was mined. Other levels were constructed in all directions for the transport and dumping of waste rock; several bridges (or trestles) were built to provide access to the East side of the canyon.