In addition, there is another risk. Even long after the mine shuts down operation, the water which passes through the massive amount of mine waste, or tailings, must be impounded. E.P.A projects that Pebble could need a 685-foot-deep tailings-impoundment pond which would have to maintain its integrity "in perpetuity". The problem is that the 2 to 6 billion tons of mine tailings (some say it will ultimately be 10 billion tons) could be acid-generating for 10,000 to 40,000 years. And acid runoff could leach toxic heavy metals into salmon streams.
http://www.ktuu.com/news/ktuu-pebble-watershed-risks-now-in-hands-of-epa-science-panel-20120811,0,7935182.story
No comments:
Post a Comment