A plan to extract gold from mining waste worries Colorado town

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. loom / lum / (v.) – to appear in a way that seems very large, scary, or strange
    Example:

    Storm clouds loom in the distance, bringing heavy rain.


  2. fledgling / ˈflɛdʒ lɪŋ / (adj.) – new and does not have a lot of experience
    Example:

    The fledgling chef made a few mistakes in the kitchen, but he was eager to learn and improve his cooking skills.


  3. discard / dɪˈskɑrd / (v.) – to remove or throw away something that is no longer needed or wanted
    Example:

    Many of the documents were discarded during the office cleanup, leaving only the important files.


  4. languish / ˈlæŋ gwɪʃ / (v.) – to be in an unpleasant or poor condition for a long time without progress
    Example:

    The old factory languished for years, covered in dust and dirt, because no one wanted to invest in it.


  5. teem with / tim wɪθ / (phrasal v.) – to be full of something, such as people or animals, often in a way that is lively or busy
    Example:

    The garden was teeming with colorful butterflies and bees, making it a beautiful sight.


Article

Read the text below.

Rust-colored piles of mine waste and sun-bleached wooden derricks loom above the historic Colorado mountain town of Leadville—a legacy of gold and silver mines polluting the Arkansas River basin more than a century after the city’s boom days.


The Environmental Protection Agency has been cleaning the area up for decades.


One fledgling company called CJK Milling says it can help—it would “remine” some of the waste piles to extract more gold and silver from ore discarded decades ago when it was less valuable. The waste would be trucked to a nearby mill, crushed to powder, and bathed in cyanide to extract trace amounts of precious metals.


The proposal comes amid surging global interest in re-processing waste containing discarded minerals that have grown more valuable over time and can now be more readily removed. These include precious metals and minerals used for renewable energy that many countries including the U.S. are scrambling to secure.


Backers say the Leadville proposal would speed up cleanup work that’s languished for decades under federal oversight with no foreseeable end. They speak of a “circular economy” for mining where leftovers get repurposed.


“The idea of reprocessing old waste is as old as mining is itself,” said Nick Michael, a representative of CJK Milling. “Today we’re coming back to these, and we’re saying they have value. And more importantly, they need to be cleaned up.”


Yet for some residents, reviving the city’s depressed mining industry and stirring up waste piles brings them back to a polluted past they don’t want to revisit.


“We’re sitting in a river that 20 years ago fish couldn’t survive,” Brice Karsh, who owns a fishing ranch downstream of the proposed mill, said as he threw fish pellets into a pool teeming with rainbow trout. “Why risk that?”


The company’s process doesn’t get rid of the mine waste. For every ton of ore milled, a ton of waste would remain—minus a few ounces of gold. At 400 tons a day, waste will stack up quickly.


In September, gold prices reached record highs, and demand has grown sharply for critical minerals such as lithium used in batteries.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The Leadville proposal is an example of the now-popular “circular economy” where leftovers and discarded materials get repurposed. Why do you think the idea of a “circular economy” is becoming more popular? What do you think are some benefits of turning waste into something useful (ex. good for the environment, reduces costs for companies)? Discuss.
  • Do you think consumers will benefit from a circular economy as well? Why or why not? How do you feel about products made from leftovers and repurposed materials? Do you think more people will be interested in buying those products in the future? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Do you think mining is still important today? Why or why not? How would you feel if a mining company wanted to start operations near your home? Why? Discuss.
  • How do you feel about mining for materials like lithium, which are used for renewable energy sources? Do you think mining for renewable energy materials is different from mining for traditional resources, like gold or coal? Why do you say so? Discuss.