In the seven years follwing this photograph this gravel mine grew to be several
times this size. Since early 2000 this mine has been inactive.
The land in this area was disturbed in the middle 1970s by Occidental Mining in
preparation for an enormous acid-leach copper mine. The project was never
realized by Occidental Mining (now defunct), but an underground test detonation
in 1977 provided the nucleus of rubble that has grown into the gravel mine you
see here... and (see first paragraph) much more.
The red-brown gash of the prehistoric Bethsheba mine can be seen near the right
edge, toward the top. And prehistoric Mina del Tiro is immediately above the
BECHO SITE, which is the smaller, unpermitted gravel
pit at the bottom of this view.
This website is maintained by the Cerrillos
Hills Park Coalition
and is dedicated to the creation, enhancement and stewardship
of an historical, recreational, and cultural open space in
the
Cerrillos Hills, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
