Tailings Ponds, Pollution and Great Salt Lake

According to the EPA’s latest Toxics Release Inventory, Utah now ranks second in the nation for total toxic chemical emissions. The reason? Over 90% of these releases came from a single source: the Bingham Canyon Mine, operated by Rio Tinto Kennecott.

This massive open-pit copper mine, located just outside Salt Lake City, released nearly 261 million pounds of toxic chemicals in 2023, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and selenium—all linked to serious health issues like cancer, neurological damage, and respiratory problems. 

The mine’s emissions alone canceled out pollution reductions from other Utah facilities and made the state #1 in the nation for toxic chemicals released per square mile.

To make matters worse, the Salt Lake Tribune also reported that “A polluted tailings pond at the Kennecott Utah mine has sunk 20 feet or more, raising concerns that it has seeped contamination into the neighboring Great Salt Lake.” 

All of this underscores a dangerous reality: Utah’s mining industry and regulatory oversight process continues to pose a serious threat to public health and the environment. Despite claims of improvement, the scale and impact of these emissions demand far stronger oversight, transparency, and accountability. Utahns deserve to know what’s in their air, their water, and their future and to have leaders who prioritize their health over industry profits.

It also provides a warning as to why not to allow even more destructive industrial developments so close to our communities. Proposals like the mine for Parley’s Canyon, or massive scale industrial development from the Inland Port, shouldn’t even be considered while we already face such drastic health and environmental threats.