A collapsed dam at a diamond mine in South Africa recently released a torrent of mining waste into the surrounding area. A new satellite image shows the trail of dried and potentially toxic mud left behind.
A satellite photo taken after a devastating mining disaster in South Africa revealed a golden river of dried mud glimmering on the landscape. But its gleaming shine was caused by a torrent of potentially toxic sludge.
Tailings are a muddy mix of dust, crushed rock, water and other byproducts left over from mining. The surplus slurry often contains trace quantities of metals such as copper, mercury, cadmium and zinc, as well as other compounds including petroleum, sulfuric acid and even cyanide, according to Earthworks , a U.S.-based organization that supports communities impacted by mining and fossil fuel extraction.A satellite image taken Oct.
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