BINGHAM CANYON MINE, Utah – Kennecott Utah Copper’s operations at the Bingham Canyon Mine are still in a holding pattern as the company works with federal officials to reopen the mine.
As of Saturday, no further movement was detected at the area of the slide, according to a press release from Kennecott Utah Copper. Limited waste hauling resumed at the site on Saturday morning at the southeastern portion of the mine, which was an area not impacted by the slide.
Company Spokesman Justin Jones said personnel have not been able to enter the lower pit to evaluate the full impact of the slide.
Kennecott engineers detected movement in one of the walls in the mine and were able to anticipate the slide and evacuate people and equipment. They did not anticipate the size of the slide. The company has not released any specific information regarding the size of the slide, but it could be as large as several thousand feet long.
Kennecott will need approval from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, which is a federal agency, before they can resume full operations at the mine.
See photos of the Bingham Canyon Mine after the slide(and more photos)
Raw aerial video of the Bingham Canyon Mine after the slide
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Bingham Canyon Mine slide bigger than anticipated
Kennecott prepares for slide at Bingham Canyon Mine
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New details in copper mine slide released
