Bingham Canyon Mine

By Mr. Tim Dumas

Readers interested in the founding, innerworkings, and incredible process of mining will thoroughly enjoy reading about the history of one of the largest excavations in the world, Bingham Canyon Mine.

The history of Bingham Canyon Mine began in 1863 with the discovery of ore. It was Daniel Jackling’s idea to mass-produce low-grade copper with steam shovels and trains. The start-up of open-cut mining took place in 1906. Its success made the site the richest on earth. The story of the Bingham Canyon Mine is about constant movement and change, innovations, and improvements. Mining techniques were always improving; steam shovels and trains were converted to electric, then to diesel locomotives, and later to large mining trucks and conveyor systems. The mine expanded, and the work created the largest excavation on earth, one of the few man-made structures that can be seen from space. 

Tim Dumas loves the history of Bingham Canyon, and his motto is “Keep Bingham’s history alive.” His first book, Bingham Canyon, takes the reader on a trip up Bingham Canyon and highlights each community that once filled this now buried canyon. Many of the images and much of the information in Bingham Canyon Mine are from the Don Strack collection found at utahrails.net.

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Published 2026