Visitor center at mine closes for the winter

The Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center is closed for the winter and will reopen next April 1.

New exhibits will be installed during the winter months.Attendance at the center during 1998 has generally been good despite highway construction projects throughout the Salt Lake Valley, according to Louis J. Cononelos, Kennecott Utah Copper director of government and public affairs.

The center attracts 150,000 to 200,000 visitors from April 1 through Oct. 31 annually. In July, a fifth-grade teacher from Altara Elementary School in Jordan School District became the 1 millionth visitor since 1992. In October the National Mining Association presented the center with its Excellence in Mining Education Award.

All proceeds from admission fees are donated to local charities. To date, more than $750,000 has been contributed.