Do they still mine in Butte montana?
As Butte’s population and economy tanked, the struggle over cleanup began. About 370 people still work pulling copper and the metal molybdenum out of the area’s only remaining active mine, the Continental Pit.
Do they still mine copper in Butte mt?
The Berkeley Pit is a former open pit copper mine located in Butte, Montana, United States. The Berkeley Pit is currently one of the largest Superfund sites.
What are they mining for in Butte montana?
The Butte mining district encompasses an area of approximately 2 by 4 miles which has produced huge commercial quantities of not only copper (21.5 billion pounds) but also significant amounts silver, gold, manganese, zinc, lead and molybdenum (table 1).
Is Butte MT toxic?
Montana Public Radio’s Nora Saks reports. SAKS: Butte has been the epicenter of one of America’s biggest industrial cleanup efforts since shortly after the federal Superfund law was enacted in 1980. It’s one of the most toxic sites in the nation.
Why is it called Orphan Girl mine?
Cool temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees made the Orphan Girl—affectionately nicknamed “Orphan Annie” or “the Girl”—a desirable place to work unlike some “hot boxes” where temperatures could top 100 degrees. By the end of the 1920s, the Anaconda Company owned the Girl which operated until the 1950s.
Who currently owns the Anaconda Copper Mine?
ARCO
The Anaconda Copper Mining Company was acquired by ARCO in 1977. The Anaconda mine was closed in 1947 after producing 94,900 tons of copper.
What happened to the Anaconda company?
Anaconda halted production in 1980, and mining ceased completely in 1982 when the deep pumps keeping the mine drained were shut off, allowing the Berkeley Pit to fill….Anaconda Copper.
| Type | Subsidiary (1977–83) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Marcus Daly |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Fate | Closed |
| Headquarters | Butte, Montana, & New York City , United States |
Why is the Berkeley Pit so toxic?
The pit is one mile long by half a mile wide, and over 1,780 feet deep, 1,000 of which are filled with acidic water with high concentrations of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, including copper, iron, arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and sulfuric acid.
Is Butte a good place to live?
Butte is a nice town. Everyone here knows each other and there’s lots of housing around the college. What I like about Butte is that the people are friendly and are willing to help others in need anytime. Butte also has a lot of historical buildings and an old mining place where people used to mine in the early 1900s.
Is Butte Montana a Superfund site?
In 1983, the Butte Area was declared a Federal Superfund Site. The Superfund designation paved the way for remediation and restoration of the environment throughout western Montana damaged by a century of mining and smelting in Butte and Anaconda, Montana.
How old is Butte Montana?
Butte began in the late 1800s as a gold and silver mining camp. At the turn of the century, the development of electricity and the industrialization of America resulted in a massive copper boom, and Butte flourished.
How deep is the Anaconda Mine?
It is about one mile long, 800 feet deep with 500 feet of water, and holds around 40,000 acre-feet of water which increases at the rate of 10 acre-feet/year.