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Doctors, environmentalists and a number of citizens have filed a lawsuit at a Utah district court against Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott, claiming that the Bingham Canyon copper mine near Salt Lake City has broken the US Clean Air Act for five years.
Among the claimants is the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, who warns that some of the mine’s dust can get into the bloodstream, “causing respiratory system damage, adverse pulmonary effects and potentially even premature death,” the Guardian reports.
Other doctors involved in the lawsuit say that the mine’s pollution can have effects on people similar to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Visible from outer space, the Bingham Canyon Mine is the deepest open-pit mine in the world today. First discovered by Mormon pioneers in the mid-1800s, its over 1.2 km deep, 4 km wide and covers 7.7 km². Despite having begun production in 1904, the mine is under expansion and is expected to produce until 2030.
Bingham Canyon produced 99% of the metals used in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medals.
Rio Tinto denies all claims that Bingham Canyon has been emitting particle matter in excess of US environmental laws.
Bingham Canyon aerial
7 Comments
2ndOrion
I spose if you are in the mine pit on a good windy day without a respirator -you may get enough dust in your lungs to become this way – but then you would be breaking all MSHA regulations -and find yourself quickly in jail – because to be without a respirator in that mine – you wouldn’t be allowed to be there anyway because you would not be a RioTinto Kennecott Employee anyway.
Ken in San Jose
The mine is in the middle of the desert. Have you ever been in Utah when the wind blows? It is like the pictures of the 1930’s Dust Bowl. And these people are complaining about a little more dust from the mine! Get real!
Todd in Salt Lake City
I’ve been a resident of Salt Lake City for over 40 years. I have had the opportunity to be in the pit on many occasions. I am not currently, nor have I ever been employed by Kennecott. In my opinion, this lawsuit is completely bogus. Kennecott does an excellent job at dust control. More often than not, the air is cleaner in the mine, than down in the city.
conodo mose
Environmentalists, doctors alike don’t seem to know that the metals they depend upon, that their lives depend upon come from this mine. Without copper, molybdenum, silver, gold from this mine and other rare earth metals and nonmetals like these from this mine and other raw materials, the environmentalists, doctors, the doctors’ patients that depend on the doctors could not have the instruments, equipment they need, that are also used to manufacture high-tech. autos, refrigerators, microwave ovens, washers, dryers, cellular telephones, computers, power tools, air conditioning, hospitals, office buildings, and automation for every part of our lives, and the list goes on. The PROBLEM here is not the mine but the fact that regular people dont understand the SOURCE of the metals they DEPEND upon come from MINES. It is like the goose that laid the golden egg and these doctors want to kill it.
Kennecott- Utah is a great neighbor to have. They give generously and support the community in every way possible. They have donated land near the mine to support the community.
I too have lived in Salt Lake City for several years. I have visited this mine. I know of no pollution caused by this mine. In fact from my apartment on the east side of the valley near U of Utah, I had clear sight of the mine from 20 miles distant. That seems to say there is no pollution. These complainers just want to make a name for themselves; perhaps money is their target and Kennecott is a convenient source and with the CAA a conveniently misused tool. The abuse the mining industry receives in this country is simply unamerican.
brian penn
To quote Bill Clinton, “Yes, but I didn’t inhale.”
LocalMiner
I have lived in Salt Lake for 15 years and several times a year there are dust storms. These dust storms have probably been breaking the US Clean Air Act for millions of years. I have been in Bingham Canyon pit a number of times. They have a comprehensive dust suppression and control program and if they didn’t mining regulators (MSHA) wouldn’t allow them to mine. Furthermore, I have friends who have worked there everyday for many years without any health issues. In summary, this lawsuit only matters to a handful of environmentalists and their blood sucking attorney brothers. These people are not interested in the well being of the local population who depend on jobs and tax dollars from this world class mine.
jhfdg
1.2km deep and 2.5miles wide…mixing units much?