The Santa Rita Copper Mine

The Santa Rita Mine is the oldest active mine in the Southwest and now one of the worlds largest open pit mines. Mule trains of ore were sent to Chihuahua City, Mexico, as early as 1800 and prior to the 1800's the copper was utilized by the Indians. Today the copper from the Santa Rita and Tyrone open pit mines provide the economic base of the region and employ about 2,000 men and women.