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Gold mines always spill — Gold mines responsible for 93% of U.S. gold production have accidentally spilled cyanide, mine waste, diesel, or other hazardous materials.
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Gold mines almost always pollute water — 74% of operating gold mines polluted surface and/or groundwater, including drinking water
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When gold mines don’t pollute water, it’s almost always because there’s no water nearby — of the mines that didn’t pollute water, only one had a perennial stream in the project area.
As the Energy & Minerals Resources subcommittee holds a hearing on “Seeking Innovative Solutions for the Future of Hardrock Mining”, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 40% of the headwaters of western watershed are polluted by hardrock mining, and abandoned hardrock mining reclamation will cost taxpayers more than $50 billion. And a 2012 study shows that 92% of U.S. copper mines pollute water.
“The ‘innovative’ solution we need for hardrock mining is simple,” said Earthworks Policy Director Lauren Pagel. She continued, “We need mining reform that prevents pollution, forces companies to pay to clean up when pollution occurs anyway, and gives communities a say as to whether and how mining occurs. Right now, hardrock mining is treated like a sacred cow relative to other industries.”— END —
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