Gold King Mine

The Gold King Mine is a historic abandoned silver mine in Colorado that gained notoriety in 2015 when a pipeline breach caused a large amount of mine waste and contaminated water to spill into nearby rivers. This released toxic metals like arsenic and lead, negatively impacting water quality and local ecosystems. The incident highlighted the environmental risks associated with old, inactive mines and the importance of proper management and remediation efforts to prevent chemical leaks into waterways.