AA-2026-6084BC
On the image
A mountain has been meticulously rearranged into a vast series of terraced steps, demonstrating the era's quiet confidence that any natural formation could be improved with enough explosives and heavy machinery. This particular improvement project spanned miles.
Scattered across the excavated floor, a network of utility poles stands, supporting the minimal infrastructure required for such a colossal undertaking. They define the temporary boundaries of a landscape slowly being unmade, powering the steady consumption of bedrock.
This was how progress looked in the 1970s: the systematic alteration of earth on an epic scale, driven by the belief that raw materials would always be more valuable than an unblemished horizon. The camera records a testament to human will, indifferent to its own impact.
The historian's note
This photograph captures a large-scale open-pit mining operation during the 1970s. Open-pit mining is a surface mining technique where vast quantities of minerals are extracted from the earth through excavations, forming a series of terraced benches. This method is commonly employed for large, shallow deposits of materials such as copper, gold, iron, and coal, often found in arid, mountainous regions of the Western United States.
The 1970s marked a period of significant industrial expansion, frequently prioritizing resource acquisition and economic growth. The environmental impacts of such large-scale operations were increasingly recognized, leading to growing public awareness and the beginnings of more stringent environmental regulations later in the decade.
These mines represent significant feats of engineering and logistics, requiring extensive infrastructure for power, transportation, and waste management. They were crucial to industrial economies, supplying raw materials for manufacturing and construction.
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Massive Open-Pit Mine, Western US, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-6084BC. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/massive-open-pit-mine-western-us-1970s.
@misc{aaAA20266084BC,
title = {Massive Open-Pit Mine, Western US, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-6084BC},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/massive-open-pit-mine-western-us-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Massive Open-Pit Mine, Western US, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-6084BC UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/massive-open-pit-mine-western-us-1970s ER -
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