Bingham Open Pit Mine

Site Name

Primary: Bingham Open Pit Mine
Secondary: Bingham Canyon Mine
Secondary: Utah Copper

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Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Primary: Molybdenum
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Platinum
Secondary: Bismuth
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Selenium
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Nickel
Tertiary: Palladium

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Location

State: Utah
County: Salt Lake
District: Bingham District

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Land Status

Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Type: Surface

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Ownership

Owner Name: RIO TINTO PLC

Owner Name: Kennecott Copper Corp.
Home Office: 200 Granville Street Suite 354 Vancouver BC V6C 1S4 Canada

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Production

Year: 2010
Material type: Rio Tinto 2010 AR, pp. 82-82.
Year: 2009
Material type: Rio Tinto 2010 AR, pp. 82-82.
Year: 2008
Material type: Rio Tinto 2010 AR, pp. 82-82.
Year: 2007
Material type: Rio Tinto 2007 AR pp. 63-64.
Year: 2006
Material type: Rio Tinto 2007 AR pp. 63-64.
Year: 2005
Material type: Rio Tinto 2007 AR pp. 63-64.
Year: 2004
Material type: Rio Tinto 2004 AR, pp. 14-15.
Year: 2004
Time Period: 1906-2004
Material type: Wikipedia accessed 8/15/2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bingham_Canyon_Mine
Year: 2003
Material type: Rio Tinto 2004 AR, pp. 14-15.
Year: 2002
Material type: Rio Tinto 2004 AR, pp. 14-15.
Year: 2001
Material type: Rio Tinto 2002 Annual Report and Financial Statement, pp. 12-13.
Year: 2000
Material type: Rio Tinto 2002 Annual Report and Financial Statement, pp. 12-13.

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Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Porphyry Cu-Mo
Plant Type: Beneficiation (Mill)
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Year First Production: 1868
Discovery Year: 1863
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: L

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Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: High Plateaus Of Utah
Physiographic Detail: Uinta Extension

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu

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Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR-Concentric with a low-grade core grading upward and laterally to a molybdenite zone, copper shell, pyrite halo, Pb-Zn-Ag zone, and an outer Au zone.

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Structure

Type: L
Structure: Unita axis and subparallel NE-striking extensional faults

Type: R
Structure: Basin And Range Faulting
Description: Basin And Range Faulting

Type: L
Structure: Bingham Syncline; Northeast-Trending Faults; Occidental Fault;
Description: Bingham Syncline; Northeast-Trending Faults; Occidental Fault; Bear Fault; Midas Thrust; Copperton Anticline

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Potassic, propylitic, sericitic, argillic

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Biotitization, Actinolitization, Chloritization, Ferruginization, Felspathization, Sericitization, Dolomitization

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Rocks

Name: Plutonic Rock
Role: Host
Description: Five intrusive phases: quartz monzonite porphyry, latite porphyry, quartz latite porphyry,biotite porphyry, and quartz latite porphyry breccia
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Eocene

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Description: composite pluton-equigranular monzonite phase
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Middle Eocene

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Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVERAGE GRADE OF CU=0.62% WITH A CUTOFF GRADE OF 0.35%. PT=0.0034 OZ/TON (120 PPB), PD=0.0118 OZ/TON (400 PPB), AU=2.88 OZ/TON (99 PPM), AG=34.8 OZ/TON (1,200 PPM), SE=0.560 OZ/TON (19 PPM), BI=0.061 OZ/TON (2.1 PPM), NI=0.40 OZ/TON (14 PPM) (EILERS, 1913)

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Materials

Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Bismuthinite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Platinum
Ore: Pentlandite
Ore: Covellite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Orthoclase
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Rhodochrosite

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Comments

Comment (General): SEE BINGHAM CANYON (PLANT) DEPOSIT ID 10129805 FOR ADDITIONAL INFO SEE Carr Fork DEPOSIT ID 10041786 and North Ore Shoot Extention DEPOSIT ID 10276611 for related deposits

Comment (Workings): 2 VEIN SYSTEMS: WEST (NNWEST STRIKE, STEEPS DIP) EAST SYSTEM (NARROWER VEINS, NORTH STRIKE, HIGHER ELEVATION EXPOS. WEST SYSTEM IS THE RICHER. POST MIOCENE SOME CURVED

Comment (Geology): PALEO SEDS SHOW CONSIDERABLE FOLDING

Comment (Location): DISTRICT ABOUT 14 SQUARE MILES

Comment (Deposit): WEST SYSTEM - 6000-8000 FT. ELEV, STRIKE NNW, DIP E EAST SYSTEM:9000-10800 FEET ELEV, ALONG CREST OF RANGE ALSO NE-NW SYSTEM. AREA OF TER VOLCANICS ON ERODED, FOLDED PALEO SEDS, TILTED TO NORTH, AND CUT BY GRANITIC INTRUSIVES.

Comment (General): Associated Deposits: Cu-Au skarns in surrounding carbonate beds (Carr Fork and North Ore Shoot deposits); polymetallic vein and replacement deposits (Ag-Pb-Zn; Lark and U.S. mines); distal sediment-hosted gold deposits (Barneys Canyon and Melco)

Comment (Ownership): From ritchiewiki.com: Bingham Canyon is owned by Rio Tinto and operated through its 100 percent subsidiary Kennecott Utah Copper. It consists of the mine itself, the Copperton concentrator, and the Garfield smelter KENNECOTT EXPLORATION INC (RIO TINTO PLC) 200 Granville Street Suite 354 Vancouver BC V6C 1S4 Canada Phone (604) 669-1880 Fax (604) 669-5255 Website www.kennecottexploration.com

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References

Reference (Age): Parry, W.T., Wilson, P.N., Moser, D. and Heizler, M.T., 2001, U-Pb dating of zircon and 40Ar/39Ar dating of biotite at Bingham, Utah, Economic Geology, v. 96, p. 1671-1684.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Singer, D.A., Berger, V.I., and Moring, B.C., 2008, Porphyry copper deposits of the world: database and grade and tonnage models, 2008: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1155, 45 p. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1155/
URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1060/of2005-1060.pdf

Reference (Deposit): BRAY, E.R., AND WILSON, L.C., 1975, GUIDEBOOK TO THE BINGHAM MINING DISTRICT: SOCIETY OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGISTS, BINGHAM CANYON, UTAH, OCT. 23, 1975, 156 P.

Reference (Geology): Stavast W J A, Keith J D, Christiansen E H, Dorais M J, Tingey D, Larocque A and Evans N, 2006 - The Fate of Magmatic Sulfides During Intrusion or Eruption, Bingham and Tintic Districts, Utah: in Econ. Geol. v101 pp 329-345

Reference (General): Atkinson, W.W.,Jr. and Einaudi, M.T. 1978, Skarn Formation and Mineralization in the Contact Aureole at Carr Fork, Bingham, Utah; Economic Geology Vol. 73, 1326-1365

Reference (Production): Krahulec, K.A., 1997, History and production of the West Mountain (Bingham) Mining District, Utah; in John, D.A. and Ballantyne, G.H., eds., Geology and Ore Deposits of the Oquirrh and Wasatch Mountains, Utah, Society of Economic Geologists, Guidebook Series, v. 29, p. 189-218.

Reference (Geology): Phillips C H, Harrison E D and Smith T W, 2005 - Geology of the Bingham Mining District, Salt Lake County, Utah, in Porter T M, (Ed), Super Porphyry Copper and Gold Deposits: A Global Perspective, v1 pp 243-257

Reference (Geology): Bowman J R, Parry W T, Kropp W P, Kruer S A 1987 - Chemical and isotopic evolution of hydrothermal solutions at Bingham, Utah: in Econ. Geol. v82 pp 395-428.

Reference (Geology): Maughan D T, Keith J D, Christiansen E H, Pulsipher T, Hattori K, Evans N J 2002 - Contributions from mafic alkaline magmas to the Bingham porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit, Utah, USA: in Mineralium Deposita, v37 pp 14-37.

Reference (Geology): Inan E E, Einaudi M T 2002 - Nukundamite (Cu3.38Fe0.62S4)-bearing Copper ore in the Bingham Porphyry deposit, Utah: Result of upflow through Quartzite: in Econ. Geol. v97 pp 499-515.

Reference (Geology): Babcock R C, Ballantyne G H, Phillips C H 1995 - Summary of the geology of the Bingham District, Utah: in Pierce F W, Bolm J G (Eds), Porphyry Copper Deposits of the American Cordillera Arizona Geol. Soc. Digest 20 pp 316-335.

Reference (Geology): Hattori K H and Keith J D 2001 - Contribution of mafic melt to porphyry copper mineralization: evidence from Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, and Bingham Canyon, Utah, USA: in Mineralium Deposita v36 pp 799-806.

Reference (Geology): Cunningham C G, Austin G W, Naeser C W, Rye R O, Ballantyne G H, Stamm R G and Barker C E 2004 - Formation of a Paleothermal Anomaly and Disseminated Gold Deposits Associated with the Bingham Canyon Porphyry Cu-Au-Mo System, Utah: in Econ. Geol. v99 pp 789-806.

Reference (Deposit): 1961 COMPILE UTAH GEOL SOC

Reference (Production): ANNUAL PRODUCTION AND 1904-1970 PRODUCTION FROM COX (OLD MRDS RECORD)

Reference (Deposit): 1920 COMPILE BUTLER AND OTHERS

Reference (Deposit): 1948 COMPILE PEACOCK

Reference (Deposit): 1915 GEOLMAP BEESON

Reference (Geology): Core D P, Kesler S E and EsseneE J, 2006 - Unusually Cu-rich magmas associated with giant porphyry copper deposits: Evidence from Bingham, Utah: in Geology v34 pp 41-44.

Reference (Deposit): COX, D.P., U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, PERSONAL FILES

Reference (Deposit): 1905 COMPILE BOUTWELL

Reference (Deposit): ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1977, MAJOR OPEN-PIT METAL AND NONMETALLIC MINES OF THE FREE WORLD: ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, V. 178, NO. 6, P. 86.

Reference (Deposit): EILERS, A., 1913, RARE METALS IN BLISTER COPPER: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MINING ENGINEERS TRANSACTIONS, V. 47, P. 217-218.

Reference (Deposit): QUIRING, HEINRICH, 1962, PLATINMETALLE IN DIE METALLISCHEN ROHSTOFFE, BAND 16: STUTTGART, FERDINAND ENKE VERLAG, P. 251.

Reference (Geology): Borrok D, Kesler S E 1999 - Sulfide minerals in intrusive and volcanic rocks of the Bingham-Park City belt, Utah: in Econ. Geol. v94 pp 1213-1230.

Reference (Deposit): BOUTWELL, J.M., 1905, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM MINING DISTRICT, UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 38, 410 P.

Reference (Deposit): Gruen, G., Heinrich, C., and Schroeder, K., 2010, The Bingham Canyon Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au Deposit. II. Vein Geometry and Ore Shell Formation by Pressure-Driven Rock Extension: Economic Geology v.105 no.1 p. 69-90

Reference (Deposit): Landtwing, M., Furrer, C., Redmond, P., Pettke, T., Guillong, M., and Heinrich, C., 2010, The Bingham Canyon Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au Deposit. III. Zoned Copper-Gold Ore Deposition by Magmatic Vapor Expansion: Economic Geology vol. 105 no.1 p. 91-118

Reference (Deposit): Redmond,P.,and Einaudi, M., 2010, The Bingham Canyon Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au Deposit. I. Sequence of Intrusions, Vein Formation, and Sulfide Deposition: Economic Geology v. 105 no.1 p. 43-68

Reference (Deposit): BUTLER, B.S., LOUGHLIN, G.F., HEIKES, V.C., AND OTHERS, 1920, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 111, P. 340-362.

Reference (Deposit): COOK, D.R., 1961, GEOLOGY OF THE BINGHAM MINING DISTRICT AND NORTHERN OQUIRRH MOUNTAINS, GUIDEBOOK TO THE GEOLOGY OF UTAH, NO. 16: UTAH GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 145 P.

Reference (Geology): Redmond P B, Einaudi M T, Inan E E, Landtwing M R, Heinrich C A 2004 - Copper deposition by fluid cooling in intrusion-centered systems: New insights from the Bingham porphyry ore deposit, Utah: in Geology v32 pp 217-220

Reference (Geology): Parry W T, Jasumback M, Wilson P N 2002 - Clay mineralogy of phyllic and intermediate argillic alteration at Bingham, Utah: in Econ. Geol. v97 pp 221-239

Reference (Geology): Landtwing M R, Pettke T, Halter W E, Heinrich C A, Redmond P B, Einaudi M T and Kunze K 2005 - Copper deposition during quartz dissolution by cooling magmatic-hydrothermal fluids: The Bingham porphyry: in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v235 pp 229-243.

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