National challenge of leaking mines dwarfs Colorado spill

[mike_c]

20. it's not just a question of waste....

Water percolates through tailing piles of course, but even if the tailings are lined and capped (which was NEVER done on old mines) the exposed rock faces within the mines themselves create acid drainage. It's their exposure to atmosphere that acidifies the water. Back filling old mines with rubble or any other porous material does nothing to mitigate this.

It is a bad business model to leave behind your mess for others to clean up, and a sign of a flawed economic system if it is allowed.

I certainly won't argue with that. But again, I think Hardin was right. Someone will ALWAYS cheat to enrich themselves, while leaving the social and monetary clean up costs to everyone else.