The Story Behind Montana's Acid Lake Will Fascinate You
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Jessica Wick
Author
Did you know Montana has something that’s often called an “acid pit of doom?”
The Berkeley Pit is a former open pit copper mine located in Butte. It’s filled with water that is heavily acidic, laden with heavy metals, rich with dangerous chemicals, and just a real problem in general.
When the pit was closed, the water pumps in the nearby Kelly shaft were turned off. Groundwater from the surrounding aquifers began to fill the pit slowly, rising at a rate of about one foot per month.
This presents a major environmental problem. The water, with dissolved oxygen, makes the minerals in the ore and wall rocks decay. This releases the acid.
The water has the acidity of cola or lemon juice.
This will reverse flow back into surrounding groundwater, polluting Silver Bow Creek, the headwaters of the Clark Fork River. Needless to say, this would be a disaster.
Sadly, they died horribly, and that’s when it was discovered that the water was acidic enough to eat away at the intestines of anything that drank enough of it.
For $2, you can step out on a viewing platform and see it for yourself.
The Berkeley Pit is a small part of Butte’s fascinating history. When you’re there, make sure to check out the World Museum of Mining.
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