bingham canyon mine

my mom and i took the kids up to bingham canyon mine a couple of weeks ago (this mine is the deepest open pit mine in the world [thanks wikpedia]). 

kennecott was offering free rides up to the visitor center and who doesn't love free stuff? we had never been up there either which is really pathetic on a few levels.

level one:  the mine is right in our back yard.  or at the least, damn close.  

level two: my had works there and has for a very long time (shame on me).  he sells heavy machinery for a living and kennecott just happens to use his trucks for hauling.  these aren't your normal haulers.  no.  these haulers are gigantic.  see the kids in front of one of the tires.

as big as a house i tell you.  the little school buses transporting crews to and from their trucks looked like micro-machines next to these trucks.  seriously.

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i have to be honest, this sort of thing doesn't normally excite me but, it was pretty dang cool to see my dad in his element and listen to him explain the process to the kids and i.  i've never really known what he does every day up there or even how the mine works.  as far as i ever knew, he sells these huge trucks to kennecott and then has a contract with them where he is responsible for the trucks themselves, the crewmen, the servicemen, etc.  i could be wrong (this is embarrassing).

we were lucky to have our own tour guide and it's pretty awesome that he was able to meet us up there and help the dense (me) understand what the big deal is.  why do people come from all over the world to see this huge hill in my backyard?

'cause it's amazingly awesome, that's why.

we walked through the visitor center and watched the little film that explains the purpose of the mine and the process of the mining.  it was neat.

my dad has a bunch of these little tractors.  they're expensive so i don't think my kids know about his stash (smart man).

this is a satellite image.  the mine can be seen from space.

i'm glad we went. (it was really windy)

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