Santa Rita Mine

View of the Santa Rita Mine, the longest continuous mining claim in the western United States, from the summit of Twin Sisters (elev. 8,341 ft.) in New Mexico's Pinos Altos Range. Its open pit stretches 1.5 miles across and is nearly 1,500 feet deep. Copper was mined at Santa Rita as early as 1799, and it is believed that the ore in the vast majority of Mexican copper coins minted from 1800 to 1840 originated from Santa Rita. Spire-shaped Cookes Peak (elev. 8,408 ft.) is in the distance to the left. Photo taken 3/22/08.