- hot-spots
- toxic waste
- USA
- Gold King Mine waste water spill
Problems
The impact on the Animas River
Gold King Mine is owned by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and mines gold and other metals. The spill was the result of an error in the cleanup and closure of an abandoned mine that was previously used to store mining waste. The Gold King Mine wastewater spill occurred in August 2015 in Colorado, USA. The spill resulted in about 3 million cubic meters of contaminated wastewater and sludge containing heavy metals and other hazardous substances flowing into the Animas River and polluting it for more than 160 kilometers.
What substances are in the wastewater
Mine wastewater is contaminated waste that contains heavy metals, chemicals, and other hazardous substances that are generated during the mining process. Special treatment facilities are used to dispose of the Gold King Mine wastewater to remove some of the contaminants from the wastewater. Gold King Mine wastewater contains a variety of hazardous substances that are generated during the mining process for gold and other metals. Wastewater may include the following components: ● heavy metals: such as lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc, nickel, and arsenic, can have toxic effects on humans and animals and accumulate in the environment. ● chemicals: such as cyanide, and sulfuric acid, are used to extract gold and can cause significant harm to the environment and human health. ● Various organic substances: such as oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel, can hurt the ecosystem and human health. ● waste and dust: can contain various metal particles and other toxic substances. ● High pH: Gold King Mine wastewater can have very high pH levels, leading to changes in water quality and danger to living organisms. In general, Gold King Mine wastewater contains many hazardous substances that can be harmful to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is very important to control the process of mining and disposal of wastewater to minimize its negative impact on the environment.
Actions taken
Following the incident, Colorado declared a state of emergency and banned the use of water from the Animas River for drinking, irrigation, and other purposes. Efforts were also launched to clean up the river and restore the ecosystem in its basin. Various measures have also been taken to minimize the impact on the environment and to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Some of these measures include: ● treatment of polluted water and sediments: work was launched to clean the Animas River and restore its ecosystem. A variety of treatment methods have been used, including sedimentation of contaminants, decontamination, and decontamination. ● Stricter regulations and control of industrial enterprises: Measures were taken to tighten control over the environmental activities of industrial enterprises and establish stricter standards for wastewater discharges. ● Development of Emergency Response Plans: To prevent similar accidents in the future, emergency response plans were developed, which include measures to monitor the environmental situation and respond quickly to accidents. ● Conducting investigations and identifying those responsible: Following the wastewater spill, an investigation was conducted to identify the causes of the accident and those responsible. Measures were also taken to improve the management and control of industrial plants. ● Public and Public Awareness: Public and public awareness campaigns were conducted on the consequences of the wastewater spill and the measures that were taken to minimize the impact on the environment. The Gold King Mine wastewater spill was one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history and raised questions about the safety of mining and the need for stricter environmental controls on industrial operations. Investigations were conducted and measures were taken to tighten controls on the environmental activities of industrial plants.
Gallery
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Timelines
2016
December 09
The EPA announced it would pay $4.5 million to states, localities, and American Indian tribal governments affected by the spill but rejected claims totaling $20.4 million to cover state, local, and tribal expenses.
November 01
The Navajo Nation sued the EPA, requesting $162 million to cover the costs of the spill, including $3.1 million for unreimbursed costs and $159 million for water development projects and monitoring. In response, the EPA said that the tribe had filed a claim for just $1.4 million and would receive $603,000 in reimbursements. According to The Associated Press, "The difference in the EPA and Navajo figures couldn't immediately be reconciled."
2015
September 17
The House Committee on Oversight and the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on the spill. An October 2015 investigation by the U.S. Department of the Interior faulted the EPA for the spill. According to the report, the EPA cleanup crew had failed to acknowledge the complex engineering of its work, which ended up causing the blowout.
September 01
The EPA previously paid the Navajo Nation approximately $90,000 immediately after the spill to deliver water to affected areas, but the agency argued that the river's quality had recovered to its pre-spill condition.
August 10
The waste had reached the San Juan River in New Mexico and Shiprock (part of the Navajo Nation), with no evidence to that date of human injury or wildlife die-off. The heavy metals appeared to be settling to the bottom of the river. They are largely insoluble unless the entire river becomes very acidic.
August 07
The waste reached Aztec, New Mexico. The next day it reached the city of Farmington, the largest municipality affected by the disaster.
August 05
A release of about three million gallons of water and sediment occurred at the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. At the time of the release, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was investigating the Gold King Mine to assess the ongoing water releases from the mine, to treat water, and to assess the feasibility of further mine remediation.