Chuqui open-pit copper mine, 4km long, 720m d eep, trucks each carrying 300t of ore, Chuquicamata, Calama, Chile, South America

Copper seam in old mine at Pozos, near San Miguel, Mexico, North America

Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, Salt Lake City, Utah, UsaBingham Canyon Copper Mine, the 'Richest Hole on Earth' and the largest excavation in the world at 2.5 miles wide & .75 mile deep. The ore goes to the smelter on Great Salt Lake

Corta Atalaya open pit mine, copper mine, Rio Tinto, Minas de Rio Tinto, Andalusia, Spain

Aerial view of open pit mining, copper mine, Rio Tinto, Minas de Rio Tinto, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Aerial view of open pit mining, copper mine, Rio Tinto, Minas de Rio Tinto, Andalusia, Spain

Aerial view of Corta Atalaya open pit mine, copper mine, Rio Tinto, Minas de Rio Tinto, Andalusia, Spain

A copper ore carrying truck in Asarco's Mission open pit copper mine, Sahuarita, Arizona, USA

Giant Truck Laden With Ore At Chuquicamata, The Largest Open Pit Copper Mine In The World, Antofagasta Region, Chile

Giant Truck Laden With Ore At Chuquicamata, The Largest Open Pit Copper Mine In The World, Antofagasta Region, Chile