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The World’s 5 Largest Open-

Pit Mines
Posted on 7 May 2020

Jake Powell !

" # !

Open-pit mining is the most common method

of mineral mining throughout the world. As
the name suggests, mineral deposits are
accessed through an open-pit, as opposed to
other extractive methods that require
tunnelling. This technique can be utilised
when the target deposits are near the surface
and the layer of overburden is relatively thin.
It has a few advantages over shaft mining,
such as being more cost effective and typically
safer due to the need for tunnelling being
negated.

Here, we look at some of the world’s largest

active open-pit mines, ranked by depth:

1. Bingham Canyon Copper

Mine (USA)

Located south-west of Salt Lake City in Utah,

Bingham Canyon is the world’s largest open-
pit mine and has been in production since
1906. At approximately 4 kilometres wide and
1.2 kilometres deep, it is responsible for the
production of around 25% of the copper used
in the United States. Owned by Rio Tinto and
operated under its Kennecott Utah Copper
Corp, it employs around 2,400 people. The
mine is operational 24 hours a day, every day
of the year resulting in phenomenal
production levels:

275,000 tonnes of refined copper per

annum (p.a)
400,000 ounces of gold p.a
25 million pounds of molybdenum (used
in steel alloys)
4 million ounces of silver

2. Chuquicamata Copper Mine

(Chile)

“Chuqui” is the second deepest open-pit mine

in the world, at a depth in excess of 850
metres. It is, however, the largest open-pit
copper mine in the world, as measured by
extracted volume. It produces around 11% of
the world’s copper supply, which equates to
350,000 tonnes per annum. In August 2019,
the underground extraction project was
launched at Chuqui, which is estimated to
extend the life of the mine by an additional 40
years. The mine is owned by Chilean state-
owned copper mining company, Codelco.

3. Escondida Copper Mine

(Chile)

Another giant open-pit mine located in Chile,

the Escondida site comprises of two mines
and is mined to a depth of 645 metres.
Owned as part of a joint venture, including
BHP (57.5%) and Rio Tinto (30%), the mine
employs over 2,200 people. BHP is projecting
an increase in production at Escondida in
financial year 2020 between 1,160 and 1,230
metric tonnes (up from 1,135 in 2019).

4. Muruntau Gold Mine

(Uzbekistan)

Discovered in 1958, Muruntau has a current

mining depth of 600 metres, with plans to
extend this to beyond 1,000 metres. It is the
world’s largest open-pit gold mine and has
estimated production levels of two million
ounces per annum. Inclusive of historical
production, Muruntau has gold ore reserves
of an estimated 170 million ounces.
Uzbekistan’s state-owned Navoi Mining and
Metallurgy Combinat (NMMC) own and
operate the mine.

5. Fimiston Gold Mine (Australia)

Eclipsed in 2016 as Australia’s largest gold

producing mine by Boddington, it still remains
the countries deepest open-pit mine at
around 600 metres. Also known as the “Super
Pit” it is located 600 kilometres east of Perth
on the south-east edge of the Kalgoorlie-
boulder and has a workforce of around 1,100
employees and contractors. It is owned by
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, a joint
venture between Newmont Mining
Corporation and Barrick Gold Corporation.

Of note are other massive open-pit

operations which include the 630 metre-deep
Udachny diamond mine in Russia (now an
underground-only operation) and Grasberg
gold mine in Indonesia at 550 metres.

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