Why was the water from the Gold King Mine spill so brown in color?

The reason the water was orange has to do with how mining exposes sulfide-rich rock to air and water. That leads to a process in which sulfuric acid is formed and then dissolves dangerous metals, like zinc, cadmium and lead, as well as more benign ones like iron, which causes the discoloration.

Who was responsible for the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill?

The EPA
The EPA took responsibility for the incident. The EPA had notified local residents of the spill 24 hours after it occurred, a delay which the press and local officials criticized.

How was the Gold King mine spill cleaned up?

The EPA is currently compiling a cleanup plan for each mine. The agency also built a temporary water treatment plant near the Gold King. It removes arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals from mine discharge.

Who paid for the Gold King mine spill cleaned up?

Under the settlement with the Navajo Nation, Sunnyside Gold Corp. — a subsidiary of Canada’s Kinross Gold — will pay the tribe $10 million. The spill released 3 million gallons (11 million liters) of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado.

What could they have done differently to avoid the Gold King spill?

An October 2015 investigation by the U.S. Interior Department found that the spill could have been avoided if the EPA had monitored water levels inside the mine before it began digging.

What happened at the 2015 Gold King mine waste water spill?

While excavating above the old adit, pressurized water began leaking above the mine tunnel, spilling about three million gallons of water stored behind the collapsed material into Cement Creek, a tributary of the Animas River.

What is the status of the Gold King mine Spill today?

The bright orange plume from the original spill is gone, but legal fights and restoration projects continue. And heavy metals from the three million gallons of mining wastewater remain in waterways used by communities, farmers and ranchers.

What is the status of the Gold King Mine today?

What are EPA Superfund sites?

Superfund sites are polluted locations in the United States requiring a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations. They were designated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980.

How many fish died from Gold King Mine Spill?

The Animas will continue to be studied by a variety of local, federal and state agencies as more information is gathered in the aftermath of the spill. Lewandowski said the test results on the 108 fish that were placed in the river, only one of which died, should be available next week.

What is the geographic impact of mining gold?

Gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It pollutes water and land with mercury and cyanide, endangering the health of people and ecosystems.

What was the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill?

The 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill was an environmental disaster that began at the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, when Environmental Protection Agency personnel, along with workers for Environmental Restoration LLC (a Missouri company under EPA contract to mitigate pollutants from the closed mine),…

How much water did the Colorado River spill?

Governor of Colorado John Hickenlooper declared the affected area a disaster zone. The spill affected waterways of municipalities in the states of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, as well as the Navajo Nation. It is estimated that acidic water spilled at a rate of 500–700 US gal/min (1.9–2.6 m 3 /min) while remediation efforts were underway.

Can’t pay damages from mine spill?

The Denver Post. ^ Elliott, Dan (January 13, 2017). “EPA Says It Can’t Pay Economic Damages From Mine Spill”. The Big Story. The Associated Press. Retrieved January 27, 2017. ^ Hood, Grace (August 4, 2016). “One Year After A Toxic River Spill, No Clear Plan To Clean Up Western Mines”. NPR.org. Retrieved December 16, 2017.

What states are affected by the Colorado River spill?

The spill affects waterways of municipalities in the states of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, as well as the Navajo Nation. As of August 11, 2015, acidic water continued to spill at a rate of 500–700 US gal/min (1.9–2.6 m3/min) while remediation efforts were underway.