Bingham Canyon Mine - Biggest Pit in the World

Copperton, Utah

The Bingham Canyon Mine holds the coveted title of "Biggest Pit in the World" -- and it is a major tourist draw. Why bother with way - the - hell - out - of - the - way Grand Canyon when you can gaze at something just as spectacular only a half-hour drive from Salt Lake City?

The Kennecott Copper Corp. has been digging this hole for a century -- and it is proud. Signs on the site boast: "A mountain once stood where this huge bowl is now." One-half mile deep and 2 1/2 miles wide, if it were a stadium it could seat nine million people.

Kennecott extracts approximately 250,000 tons of rock out of the pit every day, so this is one attraction that gets bigger and better every time you visit. The observation deck at the rim is an impressive overlook, with lots of fascinated dads and bored teenagers in attendance. Helpful plaques show where explosive charges have been placed.

Also here is a big tire from one of the mine's 190-ton capacity dump trucks that serves as a great gag photo op, and a tape loop that spouts facts 'n figures about the mighty hole in English, Spanish, German and Japanese. "The Bingham Canyon Mine produces a quarter-million tons of copper annually," it barks, "and has been dubbed, 'The Richest Hole on Earth'."

No doubt it is, and the gift shop full of shamelessly overpriced copper souvenirs will help keep it that way.