Mining Issues

Local News

Community pushback grows over mining exploration in La Platas

Metallic Minerals questioned about water use, access and long-term impacts at Durango open house

April 7, 2026

Local News

La Plata mining exploration draws scrutiny

representative fields questions at community discussion aimed at protection, celebration of public lands

February 17, 2026

Regional News

Work underway to put out mining fire that’s burned for more than 20 years

Contractors use excavation equipment to extinguish a site where a coal mine waste fire has smoldered for more than two…

June 6, 2025

Local News

Bill to clean up thousands of abandoned mines passes Congress

Samaritan law will empower states, nonprofits to tackle abandoned sites

December 12, 2024

Local News

In La Plata Mountains, possibility of copper mining has neighbors anxious

Metallic Minerals faced stiff opposition at a community meeting in Breen

November 12, 2024

Southwest Life

Why did it take so long for the Navajo Nation to secure a Superfund designation?

from 40 years of uranium mining has contaminated watersheds across the reservation

April 2, 2024

Regional News

Locals wary of plan to recycle Leadville’s mining waste

Residents concerned plan to process historic mine waste could threaten Arkansas River, unearth town’s long-buried history

March 31, 2024

Local News

What was the social impact of Gold King?

Environmentally, the spill was negligible. But seeing a mustard-yellow river spurred action to clean up mines

January 8, 2023

Regional News

Silver dream goes bust: Ouray mine faces lawsuits for $10M in unpaid bills

big plans to revive famed Revenue Mine, owners shut down and are in receivership

November 25, 2022

Local News

Bulkheads caused the Gold King Mine spill. Could they also be part of the solution?

Remediation tool can limit acidic drainage, but experts must also understand the complicated hydrology

March 30, 2022

Local News

New legislation would address abandoned mine pollution in Southwest Colorado

Conservation groups, nonprofits and local governments could finally join remediation efforts

February 4, 2022

Local News

$90 million settlement reached to pay for mine cleanup near Silverton

helps resolve liability issues around 2015 Gold King Mine spill

January 22, 2022

Local News

Mining claims in Weminuche Wilderness protected from development

Conservation group buys inholdings to preserve wilderness setting

February 5, 2021

Local News

Lawsuit seeks to close GCC Energy’s King II coal mine

Conservation groups say more thorough water study will show excavation unsafe

December 16, 2020

Local News

Mine discharge in Owen Basin not a spill, officials report

Hiker’s report triggers investigation by mining safety division

September 29, 2020

Local News

Mining company set to begin exploratory drilling in La Plata Canyon

Metallic Minerals hopes to find new reserves of copper, other metals

September 27, 2020

Regional News

Opposition to imported Estonian uranium grows in Four Corners

Navajos and San Juan County, Utah, object

July 13, 2020

Local News

BLM issues lease for coal mine expansion in La Plata County

Federal agency accepts company’s $3.4 million bid

June 13, 2020

Local News

GCC Energy offers to pay $3.5 million for coal mine expansion

must decide whether bid meets fair-market value

April 10, 2020

Local News

Rico mine owner sues to cover cleanup costs

Atlantic Richfield seeks compensation from previous owner

February 18, 2020

Southwest Life

Colorado Court of Appeals rules for uranium mine cleanup

Decision may affect other ‘zombie mines’ in Western Colorado

November 23, 2019

Local News

La Plata Canyon to be explored for mining potential

Gold, silver and copper may be worth extracting

September 23, 2019

Business

Mining proposal in Santa Fe National Forest draws opposition

Residents near the village of Pecos are vowing to take on mining companies seeking to search for copper, zinc and…

August 21, 2019

Local News

EPA says it will carry out work Sunnyside Gold refuses to do

mining company refused work order last week

July 16, 2019