Mining muck spill heads to New Mexico

[TexasTowelie]

The Animas River flows on Friday near the border between New Mexico and Colorado, carrying contaminants spilled from a former mine near Silverton, Colo. (Farmington Daily Times)

A slow-moving mess of mine muck that spilled into the Animas River this week is turning the water orange, and closing it off to fishermen and other recreational users in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.

Farmers have been warned not to use it for irrigation and ranchers are concerned about how it will affect their well water.

Environmental Protection Agency cleanup crews working at an abandoned mine site north of Silverton, Colo., accidentally damaged a containment structure on Wednesday, spilling a million gallons of water laced with lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, copper and calcium into the river, and forcing water utilities and farmers to shut down intake valves and close off irrigation ditches.

Recreation on the river is not recommended.

Read more: http://www.abqjournal.com/624751/news/sludge-from-colorado-mine-spill-heads-down-river-to-nm.html