This is Berkeley Pit, in Butte, MT. It is a Superfund site, meaning a site so toxic and dangerous, the Federal Government has it on a list as requiring extra money to clean up. Apparently, this 1800 foot deep pit was mined for copper from the 1950s-1970s. They had a pump that kept the water out, but after they stopped mining, they didn't want to pay to run the pump any more so "let the water fill in the mine to preserve it for future mining." Meanwhile, the water continues to rise and will soon be at the level of the water table (2020), at which time, everyone in town will be poisoned. The educational recording at the site assured us that those facts I read on the Federal Superfund website are false, and it is perfectly safe. |
Beautiful images! You must have an excellent pack-mule/assistant. ;)
ReplyDeleteI do!
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