Mining the New American West | National Geographic

Crested Butte Colorado is a veritable

Crested Butte Colorado is a veritable paradise of stunning scenery cheap

paradise of stunning scenery cheap

paradise of stunning scenery cheap shopping and ski resorts but it comes

shopping and ski resorts but it comes

shopping and ski resorts but it comes the price a small vacant lot here can

the price a small vacant lot here can

the price a small vacant lot here can sell for more than half a million

sell for more than half a million

sell for more than half a million dollars and yet the mountaintop the

dollars and yet the mountaintop the

dollars and yet the mountaintop the towers above this town was recently sold

towers above this town was recently sold

towers above this town was recently sold by the US government to a private

by the US government to a private

by the US government to a private company for the staggering sum of eight

company for the staggering sum of eight

company for the staggering sum of eight hundred seventy five dollars that’s

hundred seventy five dollars that’s

hundred seventy five dollars that’s right 875 bucks the bargain basement

right 875 bucks the bargain basement

right 875 bucks the bargain basement sale was allowed under an 1872 law that

sale was allowed under an 1872 law that

sale was allowed under an 1872 law that gives hardrock mining companies the

gives hardrock mining companies the

gives hardrock mining companies the right to buy federal land and 1872

right to buy federal land and 1872

right to buy federal land and 1872 prices which amounts to five dollars or

prices which amounts to five dollars or

prices which amounts to five dollars or less an acre

less an acre

less an acre that means the mining companies can take

that means the mining companies can take

that means the mining companies can take valuable resources such as gold silver

valuable resources such as gold silver

valuable resources such as gold silver uranium and copper from public lands for

uranium and copper from public lands for

uranium and copper from public lands for almost nothing while oil and coal

almost nothing while oil and coal

almost nothing while oil and coal companies must pay the United States

companies must pay the United States

companies must pay the United States royalties for the resources they extract

royalties for the resources they extract

royalties for the resources they extract from federal lands the 1872 law designed

from federal lands the 1872 law designed

from federal lands the 1872 law designed to promote development when the West was

to promote development when the West was

to promote development when the West was young further gives mining priority over

young further gives mining priority over

young further gives mining priority over using Western land for other interests

using Western land for other interests

using Western land for other interests such as recreation and conservation

such as recreation and conservation

such as recreation and conservation the 1872 mining act basically reads like

the 1872 mining act basically reads like

the 1872 mining act basically reads like a ripley’s believe it or not because

a ripley’s believe it or not because

a ripley’s believe it or not because mining is operating under a framework

mining is operating under a framework

mining is operating under a framework that was developed in the 19th century

that was developed in the 19th century

that was developed in the 19th century there are very few environmental

there are very few environmental

there are very few environmental safeguards incorporated into the law

safeguards incorporated into the law

safeguards incorporated into the law mining of metals like silver and gold

mining of metals like silver and gold

mining of metals like silver and gold once dominated this region and some old

once dominated this region and some old

once dominated this region and some old mines now serve to remind tourists of

mines now serve to remind tourists of

mines now serve to remind tourists of how the west was won the

how the west was won the

how the west was won the conservationists argue that the old law

conservationists argue that the old law

conservationists argue that the old law designed to regulate picks and shovels

designed to regulate picks and shovels

designed to regulate picks and shovels is no match for the cavernous pits and

is no match for the cavernous pits and

is no match for the cavernous pits and toxic chemicals used in modern mining

companies have staked new claims within

companies have staked new claims within miles of the Grand Canyon one study

miles of the Grand Canyon one study

miles of the Grand Canyon one study shows an 80% increase in new claims

shows an 80% increase in new claims

shows an 80% increase in new claims across the West

across the West

across the West thousands near national treasures and

thousands near national treasures and

thousands near national treasures and then there’s the pollution

then there’s the pollution

then there’s the pollution environmentalist worry the proposed

environmentalist worry the proposed

environmentalist worry the proposed Crested Butte belivet of mine on the

Crested Butte belivet of mine on the

Crested Butte belivet of mine on the mountain known as the red lady will

mountain known as the red lady will

mountain known as the red lady will endanger the town below the fundamental

endanger the town below the fundamental

endanger the town below the fundamental fact is that the government feels that

fact is that the government feels that

fact is that the government feels that because of the 1872 mining law they

because of the 1872 mining law they

because of the 1872 mining law they can’t say no wait a minute we don’t want

can’t say no wait a minute we don’t want

can’t say no wait a minute we don’t want that waste pile right next to the stream

that waste pile right next to the stream

that waste pile right next to the stream or we don’t think there should be a mine

or we don’t think there should be a mine

or we don’t think there should be a mine in right above the town because of the

in right above the town because of the

in right above the town because of the dust that would blow in or the water

dust that would blow in or the water

dust that would blow in or the water pollution or the destruction of the

pollution or the destruction of the

pollution or the destruction of the quality of life of the town under the

quality of life of the town under the

quality of life of the town under the 1872 mining law the federal government

1872 mining law the federal government

1872 mining law the federal government and the mining industry argue tough luck

and the mining industry argue tough luck

and the mining industry argue tough luck we’re putting our mind there molybdenum

we’re putting our mind there molybdenum

we’re putting our mind there molybdenum is a metal used to strengthen steel a

is a metal used to strengthen steel a

is a metal used to strengthen steel a similar mine in questa New Mexico is

similar mine in questa New Mexico is

similar mine in questa New Mexico is believed to have left tailings of

believed to have left tailings of

believed to have left tailings of hazardous chemicals in the Red Rock

hazardous chemicals in the Red Rock

hazardous chemicals in the Red Rock River likely affecting the many aquatic

River likely affecting the many aquatic

River likely affecting the many aquatic species and migratory birds

species and migratory birds

species and migratory birds it’s waters

it’s waters

it’s waters retired miner Roberto vigil has seen the

retired miner Roberto vigil has seen the

retired miner Roberto vigil has seen the evidence a lot of what we see in the

evidence a lot of what we see in the

evidence a lot of what we see in the river we have been told that it’s

river we have been told that it’s

river we have been told that it’s aluminum sulfate of some sort

aluminum sulfate of some sort

aluminum sulfate of some sort I think it’s been identified that died

I think it’s been identified that died

I think it’s been identified that died there’s a lot of other other heavy

there’s a lot of other other heavy

there’s a lot of other other heavy metals in the river that are highly

metals in the river that are highly

metals in the river that are highly toxic the mining industry counters that

toxic the mining industry counters that

toxic the mining industry counters that the questa mine is being cleaned up and

the questa mine is being cleaned up and

the questa mine is being cleaned up and contains that all mining operations must

contains that all mining operations must

contains that all mining operations must adhere to laws aim to control pollution

adhere to laws aim to control pollution

adhere to laws aim to control pollution in addition the industry points out that

in addition the industry points out that

in addition the industry points out that almost a million acres of former mines

almost a million acres of former mines

almost a million acres of former mines have been successfully restored most in

have been successfully restored most in

have been successfully restored most in the industry also agree that mining

the industry also agree that mining

the industry also agree that mining companies should pay for minerals taken

companies should pay for minerals taken

companies should pay for minerals taken from federal land but argues u.s. mines

from federal land but argues u.s. mines

from federal land but argues u.s. mines need to retain enough profit to stay

need to retain enough profit to stay

need to retain enough profit to stay internationally competitive we have

internationally competitive we have

internationally competitive we have supported changes to the mining law for

supported changes to the mining law for

supported changes to the mining law for over a decade we have to keep in mind

over a decade we have to keep in mind

over a decade we have to keep in mind that metals are sold on an open market

that metals are sold on an open market

that metals are sold on an open market regardless of where their minds so we

regardless of where their minds so we

regardless of where their minds so we want to keep the United States cost

want to keep the United States cost

want to keep the United States cost competitive so that we supply the

competitive so that we supply the

competitive so that we supply the materials that we need here in this

materials that we need here in this

materials that we need here in this country costs here in the United States

country costs here in the United States

country costs here in the United States are high because of salaries and other

are high because of salaries and other

are high because of salaries and other regulatory obligations that we have

regulatory obligations that we have

regulatory obligations that we have [Music]

[Music]

[Music] conservationists worry though the

conservationists worry though the

conservationists worry though the Western landscape is littered with old

Western landscape is littered with old

Western landscape is littered with old mines of companies that have gone out of

mines of companies that have gone out of

mines of companies that have gone out of business leaving the government to clean

business leaving the government to clean

business leaving the government to clean up toxic messes some designated as

up toxic messes some designated as

up toxic messes some designated as Superfund sites they point to coal gas

Superfund sites they point to coal gas

Superfund sites they point to coal gas and timber industries which pay the

and timber industries which pay the

and timber industries which pay the government hefty royalties

government hefty royalties

government hefty royalties advocates want metal minds to pay up

advocates want metal minds to pay up

advocates want metal minds to pay up also to help offset the cost of the

also to help offset the cost of the

also to help offset the cost of the massive cleanup for decades lighting

massive cleanup for decades lighting

massive cleanup for decades lighting companies and Western lawmakers have

companies and Western lawmakers have

companies and Western lawmakers have stymied attempts to change the 1872 law

stymied attempts to change the 1872 law

stymied attempts to change the 1872 law the conservationists look like those at

the conservationists look like those at

the conservationists look like those at Pew trust believe change is in the air

Pew trust believe change is in the air

Pew trust believe change is in the air one of the reasons why it has been

one of the reasons why it has been

one of the reasons why it has been so difficult to change is because the

so difficult to change is because the

so difficult to change is because the mining industry has been such a powerful

mining industry has been such a powerful

mining industry has been such a powerful force in the West but things have

force in the West but things have

force in the West but things have changed and in the past couple of

changed and in the past couple of

changed and in the past couple of decades the rapid population growth in

decades the rapid population growth in

decades the rapid population growth in the West the increased focus on

the West the increased focus on

the West the increased focus on recreation on conservation really mean I

recreation on conservation really mean I

recreation on conservation really mean I think that the tide has turned in this

think that the tide has turned in this

think that the tide has turned in this battle and we feel optimistic that there

battle and we feel optimistic that there

battle and we feel optimistic that there will be some changes in the near future

will be some changes in the near future

will be some changes in the near future to an act that has long been outdated

to an act that has long been outdated

to an act that has long been outdated its prime after a century and a half of

its prime after a century and a half of

its prime after a century and a half of development America may believe that

development America may believe that

development America may believe that it’s worth keeping some of the wild in

it’s worth keeping some of the wild in

it’s worth keeping some of the wild in the Wild West after all sponsored by

the Wild West after all sponsored by

the Wild West after all sponsored by National Geographic mission programs

National Geographic mission programs

National Geographic mission programs taking science and exploration into the

taking science and exploration into the

taking science and exploration into the new millennium