The International Gold King
The International Gold King Mine is an abandoned gold and silver mine located in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, USA. The mine was first discovered in 1873 and was operated until the early 1990s. During its operation, the mine produced over 1.5 million ounces of gold and 10 million ounces of silver.
In 2015, the Gold King Mine was the site of a major environmental disaster. On August 5, 2015, a crew of contractors was working to improve the drainage system at the mine when they inadvertently released three million gallons of toxic wastewater into the Animas River. The wastewater contained high levels of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and mercury.
The spill caused extensive damage to the Animas River and its ecosystem. Fish and other wildlife were killed, and the river was closed to recreation. The spill also contaminated drinking water supplies for several communities in Colorado and New Mexico.
The Gold King Mine spill was the largest mining-related disaster in the United States in over a century. It highlighted the dangers of abandoned mines and the need for better regulation of mining operations.
In the aftermath of the spill, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a cleanup of the Animas River. The EPA also worked with the state of Colorado to develop new regulations for abandoned mines.
The International Gold King Mine is now a Superfund site, which means that it is one of the most contaminated sites in the United States. The EPA is continuing to work to clean up the site and to prevent future spills.
原创文章，作者：Kevin，如若转载，请注明出处：https://fangeou.com/6333.html
