Lavender Pit — Attraction in Bisbee

Bisbee is a world famous site and has played a huge role in the mining industry. The Bisbee mine played a crucial role in the development of the town of Bisbee and the broader mining industry in Arizona. The Bisbee mine was one of the richest mineral sites in the world, producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper, along with significant amounts of silver, lead, and zinc. The mine’s success led to rapid growth in Bisbee, transforming it from a small mining camp into one of the largest cities in Arizona by the early 1900s. The mining industry provided jobs and attracted a diverse population, contributing to the town’s cultural and economic development. The Copper Queen Mine was notable for its high-grade ore, which contained 23% copper. This high concentration made it one of the most productive copper mines in Arizona during its peak. The mine’s development was closely tied to the electrification of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The demand for copper surged as electricity became more widespread, and Bisbee’s mines were well-positioned to meet this demand. Freeport-McMoRan hold the property now, it is great to be able to...

It's an old mining pit that subsequently closed. Other than wonderment at the sheer scale of the complex there is really nothing to see. There's a small shaded area with pictures and interesting historical facts and some creatively developed openings along the length of the chain link fence presumably for photos so that the fence does not obstruct the pictures. It's free because there is no admission and nothing to do other than look at this place through the fence. There is a mining complex with buildings that is no longer operational, but some staff seem to be parked there for some reason. You will spend 5 minutes tops and be done so it's best to plan this venture on the way in or out of Bisbee depending on if you're travelling from the North or South. However pictures online don't do it justice. It's hard to appreciate the depth and scale of the place being 850 feet deep and 4,000 feet by 5,000 feet across. Even standing at the top it's difficult to grasp because it's so huge. The only comparison are the old mining complex buildings nearby...

If you're visiting Bisbee AZ you'll want to stop at Lavender Pit. You won't need to spend a lot of time here - most groups I've seen spend ten or fifteen minutes. There is plenty of free parking. They have a WWII memorial for local people who gave the ultimate sacrifice, plus some displays on mining history. Mining is what caused Bisbee to come into being in the late 1800's/early 1900's and this open Pitt mine, which started out as a mountain, produced ore up until the mid 1970's. Now other things besides mining keep the town alive. The sheer size of the Pitt- about a mile long and 4000 feet wide - is breathtaking. The colors of the rock layers and chemical laden pools in the bottom are noteworthy. I could extol the picturesque virtues and other attributes of Bisbee but this post was limited to...