BASE METALS

Rio Tinto pauses part of Bingham Canyon after landslip

Rio Tinto said a landslip at its Bingham Canyon copper mine in Utah on Monday was “expected” and work would resume in the area when it was safe to do so.

 An image of the landslip at the Rio Tinto Kennecott Bingham Canyon mine in Utah was posted on social media

An image of the landslip at the Rio Tinto Kennecott Bingham Canyon mine in Utah was posted on social media

There had been a major, 135 million tonne landslide at Bingham Canyon's north-east wall in April 2013, with recovery work taking two years and constraining production. 

Rio did not refer to any potential impact on production from the latest slip, which occurred in the south-east corner of Bingham Canyon.

"The landslip was expected, based on geotechnical monitoring that is constantly undertaken at the mine and therefore all personnel had been removed from the area in advance to ensure their safety," a spokesperson told Mining Journal today.

"We continue to monitor the situation and will resume work in the area when it is safe to do so.

"Other parts of the mine and the Rio Tinto Kennecott operation continue to run as normal."

Kennecott produced 140,000 tonnes of copper, 171,200 ounces of gold, 2.2 million ounces of silver and 20,400t of molybdenum in 2020.

The mine began in 1903 and Rio approved a US$1.5 billion investment in 2019 to extend the operation to 2032. 

Rio shares closed unchanged in London yesterday, at the upper end of a one-year range and the company is valued about £104 billion (US$147 billion).

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Investor Sentiment Report 2024

Survey revealing the plans, priorities, and preferences of 120+ mining investors and their expectations for the sector in 2024.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Mining Equities Report 2023

Access an exclusive, inside look on the quarterly mining IPOs and secondary raisings data and mining equities performance tables with an annual Stock Exchange Comparisons supplement.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence World Risk Report 2023 (feat. MineHutte ratings)

A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 121 jurisdictions globally, built on 11 ‘hard risk’ metrics and an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Global Leadership Report 2023: Social licence

Gain insights into social licence trends and best practices from interviews with 20+ top mining company executives and an industrywide survey.