Mining in Arizona

Mining is big business in the state of Arizona. We've been called the "Baby State" "The Grand Canyon State" and "The Copper State". While all the nicknames are true, The pseudonym "The Copper State" is probably the most correct. With the demand for copper always on the increase, as long as the ore holds out, miners in Arizona need not fear lay offs.

This is Pop, standing next to his mine truck. No, he isn't a midget! These trucks carry more than 240 TONS of soil. The soil is transported by trucks like this, to the top of the mine, where it is put through the crusher. An interesting, little known fact, is that Turquoise is a by-product of copper mining.

These trucks make as many as a dozen trips a day, from the mine floor, to the crusher. Even though it appears that the land is destroyed, ASARCO is always concerned about the environment, and restores the sections as much as possible. With the income from the mines being a major part of the economy in Arizona, we're grateful to have responsible companies like ASARCO here. There are nearly 63,000 tons of copper ore mined daily at just one of the many copper mines in Arizona.