Biggest Open Cast Mine
Like any other statistics given here, this list is incomplete.
And like all others, the "biggest" depends on which criteria is used.
Concerning modern mines Bingham Canyon Mine, Chuquicamata Copper Mine, and
Morenci Mine are the three biggest.
Actually it is hard to compare them, as one is the deepest, another the one
covering the biggest area, and still another the most productive.
It is rather common to distinguish between man made (aka hand dug) holes
and huge modern open casts created with heavy machinery.
The biggest of the hand made holes is Jagersfontain, slightly deeper than
the Big Hole in Kimberly.
Largest Open Cast Mines
| Mine |
Location |
Length |
Width |
Depth |
Comment |
 Hull Rust Mine
|
Hibbing, Minnesota, us |
8,000m |
3,200m |
180m |
Iron Mine |
|
El Cerrejón Coal Mine
|
Hato Nuevo, co |
7,200m |
1,900m |
300m |
Coal mine |
|
Xilutian Mine
|
Fushun, Liaoning province, cn |
6,600m |
2,200m |
420m |
Coal mine |
|
Morenci Mine
|
Arizona, us |
5,200m |
4,800m |
400m |
Copper mine |
|
Chuquicamata Copper Mine
|
Calama, cl |
4,500m |
3,540m |
825m |
Copper mine |
|
Bingham Canyon Mine
|
Utah, us |
4,000m |
4,000m |
1,200m |
Copper mine |
|
Haizhou Mine
|
Fuxin, Liaoning province, cn |
4,000m |
2,000m |
700m |
Coal mine |
|
Korkinsk Coal Mine
|
Korkino, Chelyabinsk Oblast, ru |
3,000m |
3,000m |
600m |
Coal mine |
|
Mir Diamond Mine
|
Mirna, Siberia, ru |
1,250m |
1,250m |
525m |
Diamond mine |
Deepest Open Cast Mines
| Mine |
Location |
Length |
Width |
Depth |
Comment |
|
Bingham Canyon Mine
|
Utah, us |
4,000m |
4,000m |
1,200m |
Copper mine |
|
Chuquicamata Copper Mine
|
Calama, cl |
4,500m |
3,540m |
825m |
Copper mine |
|
Korkinsk Coal Mine
|
Korkino, Chelyabinsk Oblast, ru |
3,000m |
3,000m |
600m |
Coal mine |
|
Mir Diamond Mine
|
Mirna, Siberia, ru |
1,250m |
1,250m |
525m |
Diamond mine |
Biggest Hand Dug Open Cast Mines
See also
