Employee at Kennecott operations

Kennecott

120 years of mining Premier American copper. Many more to come.

Our Kennecott mine is a world-class, integrated copper mining operation located just outside Salt Lake City, Utah, in the US. Kennecott has been mining and processing minerals from the rich ore body of the Bingham Canyon Mine since 1903 and today is one of the top-producing mines in the world. Our operation encompasses surface and underground mines, a concentrator, smelter, and refinery, as well as rail infrastructure and a tailings storage facility.

Reducing our carbon footprint

We’re committed to advancing low-carbon copper production.

At Kennecott, we’ve taken significant steps to reduce our carbon footprint. These are important milestones in achieving our goal of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Renewable energy certificates

We’ve paired 1.5 million MWh of electricity with Green-e energy-certified carbon-free renewable energy certificates, primarily from wind and solar resources.

Battery electric vehicles

We’ve deployed underground battery electric vehicles at Kennecott to improve employee health and safety, increase productivity, and reduce carbon emissions from future underground mining fleets.

Renewable diesel transition

Kennecott’s fleet of 97 haul trucks and all heavy machinery completed the transition to renewable diesel in 2024, along with consumption from the concentrator, smelter, and refinery. This transition reduced Kennecott’s Scope 1 carbon emissions by approximately 450,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per annum, comparable to eliminating the annual emissions of more than 107,000 passenger cars.

The renewable diesel is made from renewable biogenic materials sourced in the US. It’s supplied through the existing diesel supply chain, as part of a continuing partnership between Kennecott and HF Sinclair.

The decision to convert to renewable diesel came after a successful trial in October 2022, which compared acceleration, speed, cycle times, fuel usage, and engine inspection reports for 2 trucks running on renewable diesel versus 2 trucks running on conventional diesel.

In collaboration with Cummins, the trial tested renewable diesel in different operational environments and on different equipment, which ultimately supported the decision by original equipment manufacturers to approve the use of renewable diesel in their equipment.

Powering through solar

In 2023, we also completed the construction of a new 5-megawatt solar power plant. The 12,800 solar panel power plant reduces operational emissions by 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

We’re also building a new 25-megawatt, 71,000-panel solar plant at Kennecott, bringing the mine’s total solar capacity to 30 megawatts. Those panels will contain tellurium produced at Kennecott, a byproduct of copper mining and refining.

When completed, the new solar plant will be next to Kennecott’s existing 5MW solar plant. Together, the 2 solar plants are expected to reduce Kennecott’s Scope 2 emissions by approximately 6%, or 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year – equivalent to removing around 5,000 gas-powered passenger cars from the road.

122 Years of Responsibly Mined Copper

Our Kennecott mine has operated for 122 years, providing domestically sourced copper to the US and beyond. As we look towards the energy transition, Kennecott will continue to play an important role by responsibly mining and smelting this mineral, which is critical for our electric vehicles, our renewable energy, and numerous other vital applications.

This Isn't Just Copper
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Visit the Bingham Canyon Mine

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Experience opens every April through October (closed during winter).

The Visitor Experience is dedicated to educating the public about the key role Kennecott plays in modern life, safe mining practices, and responsible environmental stewardship. Learn about our history and see first-hand the gigantic scale of our operation, vehicles, and artifacts. Discover how ore gets processed and refined to become 99.99% copper, an essential element in today’s infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology. Everyone who visits our Kennecott Visitor Experience is positively impacting our community, as all proceeds from ticket sales are donated to the Kennecott Charitable Foundation.

Since its inception in 1992, the Kennecott Charitable Foundation has been dedicated to making a positive impact on Utah residents and the community and has donated over $3.3 million to more than 200 local nonprofit organisations that assist vulnerable populations in the Salt Lake region.

You can also learn more about the Bingham Canyon Mine by taking a virtual tour of our operation.

Improving energy efficiency

At Kennecott, we continue to look for new ways to improve energy efficiency and increase our on-site-generated power supply. The $10 million, 6.2 MW combined heat and power (CHP) system – large enough to power 6,000 average-sized homes – is one example of how we are doing this, generating enough power to supply up to 50% of the electrical needs of the refinery.

CHP, also known as cogeneration, is an efficient, clean, and reliable way to generate power from a single fuel source.

Responsible production

Our voluntary commitments and accreditations include a number of global, regional, and national organisations and initiatives, and industry accreditation programs.

Kennecott currently has several environment, social and governance (ESG) partnerships, which include:

  • Utah Clean Air: In 2012, we cofounded the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR), which continues to be a State of Utah-supported community organisation uniting Utahns in behaviours and opportunities that improve air quality.
  • Utah Natural History Museum: We have partnered with the Natural History Museum of Utah for 40 years to support the Museum’s mission to illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it. There, our community can learn all about the minerals that our business relies on. More than 27,000 students experienced Museum on the Move as part of our partnership.
  • Museum of Utah: In 2023, we announced a donation of $10 million for the Museum of Utah, which is currently being built on the grounds of the Utah State Capitol complex. The Museum is slated to open in 2026 under the umbrella of the Utah Historical Society.
  • Loveland Living Planet Aquarium: With our partnership with the Aquarium, we focus on environmental issues and classroom teaching to educate on the importance of the natural ecosystem to our planet. Over 10,000 students visited the Aquarium for free through our sponsorship.
  • Salt Lake County: In 2023, Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Kennecott, and the Bureau of Land Management opened Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park, providing more than 13 miles of multi-use trail that had been reclaimed from historic mining land. 
  • Utah State University, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air: In 2024, we announced a 3-year partnership with Utah State University’s Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air. This $450,000 partnership will support high-impact projects aimed at strengthening Utah’s environment, including the institute’s faculty Impact Grant program, the production of the Report to the Governor and Legislature on Utah’s Land, Water, and Air, collaborative researcher working groups, and other new initiatives. These efforts aim to enhance our understanding and management of critical resources.
  • Real Salt Lake: We have partnered with the Real Salt Lake soccer team since 2008, reaching almost 20,000 local fans each game. Our partnership includes community outreach in greater Utah, providing soccer clinics for youth each summer.
  • Salt Lake Bees: With our partnership with Utah’s minor league baseball game, we highlight our connection to our base in Daybreak and connect with fans through in-game engagements.

In 2020, the Kennecott operation became the first in the world to be awarded the Copper Mark, the industry’s first and only independent assurance program – verifying that the copper is responsibly produced. Originally developed by the International Copper Association with input from stakeholders including customers, NGOs, and producers, the Copper Mark assures that our copper meets the highest environmental and social standards, including a transparent and responsible supply chain.

Our Kennecott operation has also been awarded the Molybdenum Mark, an independent certification that the molybdenum from our site is responsibly produced with high environmental, social, and governance standards. As a by-product of copper mines, molybdenum has a critical role to play in the green transition as a vital material in clean energy technologies and sustainable construction practices in many areas. This certification demonstrates our continued commitment and leadership towards environmental sustainability – to be a responsible producer that is committed to finding better to provide the materials the world needs.

We are also progressing innovative ways to reduce waste from our operations while supplying critical minerals that are crucial to energy transition. In May 2022, Kennecott began production of tellurium, a critical mineral used in solar panels, which is helping to develop a new US supply stream for the renewable energy industry.

Growth

We’ve completed the first phase of the South Wall Pushback at Kennecott, extending the mine’s life to 2026 and gradually accessing higher copper grades.

Stripping for the $1.5 billion second phase, extending operations to 2032, remains on track. The investment will further extend strip waste rock mining and support additional infrastructure development, to allow mining to continue into a new area of the orebody and deliver close to one million tonnes of refined copper between 2026 and 2032.

We’re also progressing feasibility studies to extend open pit mining beyond 2032. If approved, the planned mine expansion – referred to as Apex – could produce around 1.5 million additional tonnes of copper and extend the mine’s life to approximately 2040.

In September 2022, we approved a $55 million investment in development capital to start underground mining and expand production at Kennecott. Underground mining will initially focus on an area known as the Lower Commercial Skarn, which will deliver a total of around 30,000 tonnes of additional high quality mined copper alongside open cut operations1. The first ore was produced in early 2024, with full production in the second half of 2025. It will be processed through the existing facilities at Kennecott, one of only 2 operating copper smelters in the US.

In 2023, we also approved $498 million for the North Rim Skarn, which is expected to start production in early 2026, with a 2-year ramp up. This area of the underground is expected to deliver around 250,000 tonnes of mined copper over 10 years. This mined copper consists of 67,000 tonnes of Ore Reserve and 183,000 tonnes of Mineral Resource2.

Environment

Kennecott is committed to environmental stewardship. Employees work diligently to prevent, reduce and remediate effects of the operation on the environment. Kennecott sets self-imposed environmental performance targets to drive continuous improvement. We strive to be a leader in environmental performance by demonstrating responsible management of natural resources, reducing our environmental footprint, and exceeding community expectations for sustainable development.

Water

Evaluating new approaches for safer, more efficient water use is vital for our community and the environment.

In 2021, we partnered with several environmental and water conservation organisations to donate up to 18,000-acre feet of water rights every year for the next 10 years to return more water to the Great Salt Lake.

Land

We are committed to leaving a lasting legacy with our neighbours that have shared our history for over 120 years. During the past 25 years, we have restored more than 10,000 acres of land previously impacted by historic mining operations, focusing on reclamation and remediation efforts. We restore lands previously used for mining operations to be suitable for animal habitat, residential, commercial and agricultural use.

In September 2023, we announced plans to reclaim an additional 740 acres of land at the Bingham Canyon Mine, as part of our commitment to the environment and the local community. The East Waste Rock Reclamation project, when completed, will help maintain critical erosion control, which will positively impact stormwater management in the area.

We have transformed acreage once dominated by over-grazed lands, salt evaporation ponds and illegal dumps into a 3,670-acre shorebird and waterfowl reserve along the south shore of Great Salt Lake. In 1996, we partnered with 2 internationally recognised nonprofit organisations to ensure our Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve (ISSR) is under a mitigation plan, and today, the reserve is one of the largest and most successful mitigation efforts in the US. The number of bird species using the reserve area has gone from 50 in 1995 to 200 – a 300% increase – and today, approximately 120,000 birds use the reserve every year.

Kennecott communities

We’re committed to investing in the communities we operate in to make a real, lasting difference.

Our approach focuses on building strong partnerships and supporting initiatives that matter – now and for the future.

We centre our efforts at Kennecott around 3 key areas:

  • Human rights and cultural heritage
  • Community connections
  • Environmental opportunities

These priorities guide how we support local programs and respond to the needs of the people and places around us.

So far, we've helped inspire over 105,000 students through STEM outreach with partners like the Natural History Museum of Utah, Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, and Columbus Adult Education Center.

We’ve also partnered with the Utah Navajo Health Clinic to launch a mobile health unit that’s brought vital care like cancer screenings, vaccinations, and health education to hundreds of patients in remote areas, around 80% of whom are Native American.

We’re committed to making a continuing impact and sincerely appreciate the partners who work with us to create positive change in the communities we serve.

  • Footnote

    1 The North Rim Skarns (NRS) Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, together with the Lower Commercial Skarn (LCS) Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, form the Underground Skarns Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The 30kt mined copper production target for the LCS through to 2027 was previously reported in a release to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) dated 20 June 2023 "Rio Tinto invests to strengthen copper supply in US”. All material assumptions underpinning this production target continue to apply and have not materially changed.
     

Haul trucks at Kennecott copper mine

Rio Tinto Kennecott visitor experience

The Visitor Experience is a self-guided tour that shows the ins and outs of Kennecott’s mining operation and features a dramatic view of the massive open pit. Please visit the website to learn more and purchase tickets.
Two employees looking out at Rio Tinto Kennecott mine

Kennecott Charitable Foundation

A Utah-based charitable organisation committed to positively impacting Utah residents and the community since its inception in 1992.
Solar panels

Copper

From the days of antiquity, copper has been used for its many benefits
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Independently verified, responsibly produced

Independent industry stewardship programs help assure our customers of our responsible value chain. Our Kennecott and Oyu Tolgoi copper operations have been awarded the Copper Mark, the copper industry’s independently assessed responsible production program. Kennecott has also been awarded the Molybdenum Mark, an application of the same rigorous framework to molybdenum producers - molybdenum is a copper mining byproduct and a vital material in clean energy technologies and sustainable construction practices. These 2 certifications demonstrate our continued commitment to responsible production as we find better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

Kennecott downloads

Kennecott certificates
Kennecott LBMA Responsible Gold Certificate
PDF
138 KB
Kennecott LBMA Responsible Silver Certificate
PDF
138 KB
Rio Tinto Kennecott Apex and East Tailings Expansion
PDF
1.18 MB
Kennecott LBMA Refiner Compliance Report
PDF
289 KB
Kennecott LBMA Independent Practitioner's Reasonable Assurance Report Gold and Silver
PDF
414 KB
Kennecott Responsible Minerals Sourcing Policy
PDF
149 KB

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Product

2,142

Employee

193

Kt

Refined copper production

100

%

Ownership

1903

Started

Contact Kennecott

Rio Tinto Kennecott

4700 Daybreak Parkway
South Jordan Utah 84009
United States

Community enquiries

For enquiries or complaints, please contact us.

Visitor experience

Open 7 days a week
From April to October
(weather permitting)
12732 Bacchus Hwy
Herriman Utah 84096
United States

24-hour health, safety and environmental enquiries hotline