Berkeley Pit, Montana

Large open pit copper mine with over 17 billion gallons of wastewater contaminated from mining operations. The pit and much of the surrounding mines and smelting areas, including the Anaconda area and the 120-mile long Clark Fork River drainage area, have been designated as an EPA Superfund toxic site. The mine, which ceased operations in 1982, once employed thousands of people. Now the pit supports a growing industry of remediation technologies and clean-up personnel. For a modest admission fee, one may view the pit from a platform erected for that purpose.

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