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Originally Posted by baddog
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The Rockies have a lot of minerals.
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Abandoned mines with their wakes of mine tailings and toxic wastes dot the Rocky Mountain landscape. In one major example, eighty years of zinc mining profoundly polluted the river and bank near Eagle River in north-central Colorado. High concentrations of the metal carried by spring runoff harmed algae, moss, and trout populations. An economic analysis of mining effects at this site revealed declining property values, degraded water quality, and the loss of recreational opportunities. The analysis also revealed that cleanup of the river could yield $2.3 million in additional revenue from recreation. In 1983, the former owner of the zinc mine was sued by the Colorado Attorney General for the $4.8 million cleanup costs; five years later, ecological recovery was considerable.[28]
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That was damage from just a single zinc mine.. There is everything from lead, copper, gold, silver and yes even coal. They were mined in the past, if you have traveled there much at all then yes you would see the left overs of this mining. The reason it's not worse is because the Federal govt bought up most of the land to protect it from becoming what has happened in the East..
As for Texas and the Fences? Try driving the back roads some and not their highways. It's not too bad in Central Texas but hell just look at the map posted in this topic about public land. Look at what a small amount Texas has..