Mining the New American West

[TheDeJureTour]

Oh I get it....what few American jobs are left that can't be directly outsourced, kill them!

[vidviewer401]

Gotta' use that land for somethin'.

[buddymacs]

this entire video if full of greenie lies and half truths shame on you greenies

[wildcountrygem06]

cont'd-

seriously have we really become so dense as to not have our own minds and only adhere to ideals in the 1800's in which people were unaware and uneducated not to mention just learning the land ! seriously we are ruled by a non existent currency and half the mining rights are sold over seas no wonder this country is falling! it's the mindless morons that refuse to grow and learn and see whats right in front of you !

[wildcountrygem06]

mining for metals? are we really that ignorant of a race where we are ruled by gold and silver? are we seriously that nieve that we cannot come up with a new modern form of currency and materials that arent so detremental to the enviroment ? i mean as far as the ignorant cowboys who dont have an education to realize that this is the 21st century and blame the ideal of growth on "green idiots" i suggest you all get your heads out of your as* and learn and try to think for yourself

[infinus5]

@wildcountrygem06

sorry ? but i forgot that we need metals like gold, silver, platinum, uranium, cadmium, copper and iron to build the world. we can t pull metal out of thin air, and so it must be mined. i do believe in reusing as much as we can but the truth is we need to use mining to replenish what was used up.

[buddymacs]

hey jane...get a real job dear........maybee the mines are hiring!.

[aristoteles311]

We need to worry about the privatization of resources. Once its all privatized and owned by the same few elite we will all be slaves.

[MrJoshhhhhC]

*yawn* bullshit

[chiparoo222]

Theduke335 << must be the David Duke - of the white supremacy wackos gang ?

[2020artstart]

if the profits were not humongous, no company would bother to mine at all. Just plain logic.

[chiparoo222]

A tid-bit saved here, a tid-bit saved there . An illusion that something big is being accomplished. Compared to the hordes of human locusts breeding out of control, and their insatiable apetite for new areas to consume and develop - into the ongoing paradigm of urban sprawl, --- mining sins pale in comparison.

[NevadaWrangler]

@acavideo spoken like a true ignorant and uninformed liberal

[PureOptic]

It's pretty bad how they're able to mine that close to civilization, and not get in trouble for it. With the way we mine today, the pollution is astronomical. It shouldn't be fair to do this when the world is in this bad of shape.

[joeploharz]

The Government is taking 50% of my bonus checks made at a mine. That is the real crime.

[SuperExpressway]

the grasshoppers own the mountain , no matter how much u pay for it....

[clancysharman]

Being from the Gunnison/Crested Butte area and also being in the mining industry, this video just makes me want to puke. The people of Crested Butte wouldn't want anything to be built besides their own million dollar house. They are so against growth, I don't see how the town can survive. It makes me laugh to see the anti-mining stickers on the bumpers of their cars that are made of steel, strengthened by moly! Ban mining and let the bastards freeze in the dark!

[joeploharz]

What they fail to say is that without mining this video could not have been made and no one could be sitting at thier computers watching it. If anyone really wants to make a stand against mining then don't use computers, cell phones, cars tv's, electricity or any other product that requires mining in order to produce.

[mrfish40]

dont put corrupt corporate America in the same class with small time miners! Our government does what it wants! when it wants! Its all about the money! and greasing the hands of skanks! As a recreational miner! I take more lead, mercury and trash from the streams than gold! Keep the two types of mining seperate! small time miners benifit the environment and economy!

[miningx]

this video is a load of cr^&

[Claizen]

I don't understand why we're making conservation a partisan issue.

[SpringChatty]

Those resources BELONG to the people of that state, talk about wanting the destruction of a company !!!! And a WORTHLESS govt !

[starmanskye]

Good ol' Americanism! Bumper-sticker morality and soundbite principles, all packaged in a slick 'Me First -- Fuck yOO' message even a ya-hoo can understand. Mine it, log it, pump it, dump it, haul it, plow it, pave it, fish it, blow it all before JeSuS Comes!

[redline1189]

start shooting conservationists!!!!they  ruined every industry in US

[Razortine]

hope more people learn about this.

[danielww100]

Be on the lookout for the Notorious "Mother Nature" Wanted for mining without permits , excavating country sized holes over 2 miles deep, dumping uranium , arsenic , crude oil sludges worldwide. This Mother of all miners is notorious for creating the Grand Canyon , Removing 1300 ft from the top of Mt St Helens , and thousands of other violations. The Sierra Club , USgovernment , and a gullible public are all hard at work to put an end to nature , and need your help.

[vincevince801]

haha American following stone age rules and regulations again. What a bunch of neanderthals.

[silver760]

Recreation etc doesnt provide as much money to the country as mining.

[dozer3man]

i love coal if i could have sex with it i would

[piecartbox]

Wow, you'd think national geographic would check their facts. What they said first borders on a LIE.. you can not gain title to public land anymore... PERIOD! Good thing too.

You can't just mine, you have to get EIRs done and put up bond so even if you go out of business.. YOU HAVE ALREADY PAYED FOR THE RECLAMATION! Its part of the investment.

They can't even say molybdenum right, or understand the law. Be objective.. Its propaganda preying on ignorance and emotion.

[whitec419]

No doubt it is propaganda but it is true we do not collect royalties on hardrock mining. The Mineral Leasing Act collects royalties from oil, coal, and gas but why not gold silver and copper?

[kf1000]

Ummm, maybe with 20% total unemployment, perhaps we should delay further tightening restrictions for just a bit, unless we want all of our jobs to go overseas.

By the way, when miners pay huge salaries to employees and those employees pay taxes, then the government gets a big cut. Raise restrictions and no one in the US will get anything.

[creten69]

if he can say ribber i can say mehi or bean bag

[keyofdavid88]

there is no evolution

[piecartbox]

In the name of recreation the mining law should be changed. But keep in mind that recreational gold mining is a big thing and rapidly growing in popularity, it does not delve into hardrock mining and does not create the freshly exposed metal laden waste rock to leach heavy metals into the earth.

Recreational dredging actually takes out mercury and lead from natural and human sources. The dredges are set up to capture the heavy metal gold and get the rest too!

[CharmedAngel]

what can you do? the government works for the big companies [it should be the people but reality states otherwise] ._.

[thatdamnclown22]

ok ok i can understand why the guy verbally attacked the animals, but why the golf club? i mean did anyone else see that at 0:58? a rather douchebag move if you'll excuse the french.

[azroberth]

Anyone foolish enough to think there is NO PROCESSING at a mine site either is lying or has no concept of copper mining. Finished copper comes out of the site.

[azroberth]

I worked in the mine in Questa and know what ARCO did to the area. They ruined the river and its now on a superfund list. Thank you for the documentary and the truth, maybe some people have trouble with the truth. At the moment Augusta Resource of Canada is trying to claim 12,000 acres of National Forest for a dump area and an open pit copper mine. They will pay NO money for the ore they pull out of the earth and the copper goes overseas. How is that supposed to help us as a country?

[beestube76]

No processing occurs at mining sites so how are any of the processing chems getting into the rivers and streams?

[Theduke335]

They left out the fact that you just don't go and buy a moutain for $875 and thats it the permits run and opperat a mine cost anywhere from $6,000,000 a year to $25,000,000 a year not mention property taxes witch for a mine are in the $100,000's there is a lot more to it then what this "video" says stupid fucking "green" people .

[secoxxx]

so true, fuckin enviro-wackos

[kidwhoflips]

@Theduke335 why'd you put the word video in parentheses? are u suggesting what we just watched wasn't an actual video?

[Aredhel11182]

@Theduke335 And what about the profits? You don't say anything about it... They wouldn't invest, as you say, that kind of money for nothing... The point is, it is ridiculous and outrageous to buy A WHOLE MOUNTAIN FOR 875 BUCKS... C'mon...

[2020artstart]

@Theduke335 so, we should be conscious of the costs of mining not mentioned here but also not mentioned are the humongous yearly profits.

[Jetkillr]

@2020artstart OMG. please. i cant believe so many people have something against companies making money. If you dont like that then go live somewhere where companies dont make money and are government run. Something tells me you wont...

[APES2L8]

@Jetkillr if it was just making money it wouldn't be so bad but when the environment and people's health are destroyed for the sake of your almighty dollar (which by the way there will never be enough of for you or your companies then I say GTH.

[Jetkillr]

@APES2L8 oh the environment? peoples health? so what kind of car do you drive? how much trash do you create? how much do you recycle? how much of a profit margin do you think these companies really make? there are much worse ways companies are polluting the environment. The thing is that most of the worst companies are in other countries like china and india. However due to the cost of staying much cleaner and having to pay higher salaries to employees here in the states it makes it harder for..

[Jetkillr]

@APES2L8 ...them to stay in the GREEN as far as profit. i think you should be much more worried about the mineing companies that go out of business and leave the government in charge of the clean up. Besides Environmentalists always blow things out of proportion, ALWAYS. and in the video they said they were worried that it "may" endanger the town, not that it "was" endangering the mine. Also they compare the mine to one in Mexico, Mexico is a damn 3rd world country and doesnt compare to the USA

[mechaspark1]

@Theduke335 Let me guess, you're some sort of expert?

[majentapen]

there is a MASSIVE open pit copper and molybdenum mine in the city of butte montana (which is designated as the largest superfund site in america) there are in fact 2 there. one in operation and the other filled with 5 billion gallons of water that is tainted with copper, zinc ,cadmium and lead. in fact the water is so rich in copper, the water is MINED by using iron. now if you visit here youll see what mining has done to this place. so the government should act now and STOP the mining there.

[tuttlelikess69]

i suggest you start by thanking the miners for their hard work and secondly that mine provides most of your city's income so quicherbichen

[jtlege]

Thank you miners. I don't owe land where yer at, so can qit bichen...AG is my citys income But, I've workd sawmill n WI cuttin' 50 yr tree into 20', 16',12' or 8' sections withn 30 s, grindn waste. Igru up downstrm of a papr mill n GA eatin catfish w 1000% yr sulfur. Lets not choose: getall cleanr,n put miners 2work digN 'Canadian wells' to cut heating in NorthUS nd AC n the South...I respect good work, Thanks, sorry for the alarmist bull, I drink shit outa Al cans every day,

Cheers

[Zincon48]

Sorry, Majenta was my old youtube account. Anyway, in response I say they dont do hard work. The work a 12 hour shift driving a massive haul truck around, or the electric shovel, although I'm glad they're employed there and making lots of monies (not sarcasm). The miners before did hark work, working in mines 1 mile beneath the surface for 8 hours a day constantly facing cave in. Plus, only about 1/4 our cities income comes from the mine, the rest goes to the guy who owns it and his home city.

[Biscuitcase]

No, a mining claim is not a sale of the land. No, the 'price' is not a sale price, its a filing fee for an annual right. Too bad you destroyed your credibility to do documentaries on any subject by untruthful misleading propaganda. Do you think everyone ignorant of CFR 2800?

[futuresparky]

Good video. a lot to say, and pretty balanced as well. I'm a geologist, and i agree that it is time for the mining industry to take a more steps in the direction of sustainability in their operations, which they have been doing for a little while now, but could improve at.

[totallyunconvinced]

By the logic of this video, the constitution, bill of rights, and emancipation proclamation are "antiquated" too. The piece would've worked better without the appeal to novelty fallacy.

Technically, pure water is toxic to people at high enough doses, so vague references to "toxic chemicals" aren't all that informative. Seems like an appeal to emotion and poisoning the well.

[neobattle2]

I mean we are not really doing much cause what i heard this things are still going

[neobattle2]

we are really doing much cause what i heard this things are still going

[steammandude]

yaya i want a boritio

[adbelcher]

okay - they showed the WRONG Mtn in Crested Butte for most of the video and the announcer should learn how to pronounce MOLYBDEUM. just like that - mo-lib-denum. While we appreciate the public info, you think they could edit.

[zzboobzz]

Regulations are loose because they are trying to be competitive with foreign mining. I say let China mine and ruin its country, and import the minerals. Save ours for when the war starts with China.

[nbctc]

oh no there is foam in the river!!! let all the conservationists freak out over foam and dust... wow what will they bitch about next... probably just go back to the trusty global warming that one always works...

[jtlege]

Aluminum...what does that cause, again? oh yea Alzeihmer's...I forget sometimes. A little lead is good for mental retardation in case yer raisin a family; top off the cocktail with some other heavy metals (they concentrate in the fish too) for yer lymphoma and you may die before you see the first effects of global warming (oops NW passage opened up too late)...Or just move to China, they got the water just how you like it...mmmm, Foamy sulfates, heavy metals mmmm...

[nbctc]

lol what?

wow do you work for these people?

[tuttlelikess69]

look... the next time you turn on a light or turn on your computer to bitch about mining just say thank you to the mining industry for providing the power for the platforms to spew your environ"mental" bullsh!t

[jtlege]

Thanks, my PC IS uranium powered (all jokes aside.) Clean drinking water isn't environmental bull, the world's getting smaller all the time. Besides, why choose between clean water and electricity (or gold or uranium or copper or all things mined) I'd pay a little more to have both.

Thank you mining industry. I'm still drinking tap water (with my neighbor's eliminated Prozac in it ; )

[piecartbox]

Part of the reason the rivers around mining areas have heavy metals in them is because the areas are just chock full of metals. Check out the USGS NURE database, you can see LOTS of toxic radioactive and heavy metals in pristine rivers. So just because its there does not mean a mine caused it.

There are TONS of laws (clean water act for example) that protect drinking water, swamps, rivers, lakes, etc.

[penitent2401]

they should update laws like this...

... i want to buy a mountain lol.

[volcanicexplosion]

Yeah, pick up some foamy stuff on the side of the river and pretend it's pollution. And some have speculated that dust might blow into the town!!

[AndreasAntoniusMaria]

Well, I thought the USA were a civilized country. Laws can be changed, even in the USA I thought!

[littleme666]

your government working hard for you. Of course there are always people who think that the solution is simply to make it bigger.

[rspawn]

"your government working hard for you. Of course there are always people who think that the solution is simply to make it bigger."

Apparently government has little power over big corporations, so that those corporations can wreck the environment with impunity - how would making the government smaller and thus weaker, help to resolve this problem?

[lilplayboy98]

they found "Heavy Metal" & "Rock" by the river bed !!!

[AnnieNM06]

all that land they are practically giving away could have been used to helppay down the national debt. and good point about the law needing updating to protect the enironment.

another excellent video. Thx natgeo

[WTFNTZSJ]

This law has been left to languish and enrich big business for a century. Now that it is coming to the fancy neighborhoods of the rich, let's see if THEY are any match for big business.

Remember that a republican government owned by big business will never give up any power. They will kill people who try to fight. They are murderers.

[BrickstarRunner]

great work again Nation Geographic! You make learning fun and interesting!

[corruptcrew]

R.I.P. Fort Mountain in Phoenix, AZ. Same outdated law allowed a saguaro covered hill in Phoenix to be leveled.

[redeyesthe20th]

yes, their getting away with murder at that price, but what the hell, are we supost to just stop mining? if you've seen the prices of metals, you'd agree we need to mine more!

[vatoverde]

Idiot! If the government would support recycling efforts more we would be able to recover almost all the metal we need from our waste stream. Instead we dig yet another big hole in the ground and bury metals in it. Retarded.

[monan]

if you really believe the crap you spew you're the one that's retarded.

[Deadlytrick]

YOU BASTARDS!!!!!! I'm telling! no litterally

I'm gonna tell the governor I know him.

[slayerman1992]

*Scared*xD

Like we care!

[bitRAKE]

The law was designed to protect small mining - the individual. The law should be changed to exclude large corporations, but like that is going to happen!

[illeatu2]

and wars have never had anything to do with this? what about prohibition on riding your camel across the river? I'm sure if you found a way to push the law in your favor you'd do it too. As for clean up? Look at whats going on in Montana with FWP and ARCO.

[TallBrooklynGuy]

they wont change the law. there is demand for mining becuase there is a shortage for energy.

stupid americans have to give up their idea of one skinny women driving a huge guzzling SUV and people wasting energy in their homes.

the soultion is conservation.

[franjakes]

God bless the almighty dollar!

[cortezawwris]

Wow I never knew things were like this in United state. Makes me blessed to be where I live. Surrounded by vast grass steppe leading to mountains with no mining or industry just nomads, ancient ruins and animal herds. I hope you united states does good in next election and get a good president lie teddy Roosevelt or Geoege Washington who cares for there people instead of corperations. Love from Kazan Russia

[monan]

Russia has one of the most active mining industries in the world. You got to look further than your backyard when you make statements like that. And no I'm not defending america, I'm not even american. But I do work in the mining industry and know Russia is a super power when it comes to mining.

And for the rest of you who say move back to China where they mine like crazy, no they dont mine like crazy they buy mining materials like crazy. They're the reason why mining is on the ups right now.

[kcdcskateshop]

this is the same as subsidies. the government should instead make these companies pay their share and subsidize recycling companies instead. BITCHES!

[dougpeerless]

Hell yeah!

[bobleob]

lol crested butte

[Duggins3]

This has gone on in the past,Now thanks to Clinton there are thousands of acres of Utah land tied up from any development.While the people are making starvation wages.Waiting for

the promised tourists to come.

[IndianaBishop]

Stinkin Bureucrats. I've got a video of a mining ghost town. It scared the land in more ways than one.

[Tallacus]

872 dollars? oh shit...I could have own a WHOLE mountain! that would be the best 872 bucks i ever spent

[TallBrooklynGuy]

872 bucks but 20,000 dollars a year in real estate tax.

[hehe1mdead]

@Tallacus i love how he said 875 dollars.

[YoshiDragon101]

US taxpayer gets screwed twice. First when the government gives the land to the mining company and again when the government is eventually forced to do a costly clean-up. We should all demand reform of the 1872 Mining Law.

[votez89]

hell yeah

[camerontech]

the land is to be prospected and mined by anyone who wishes to explore it and spend money on it. jobs are created, the mine is taxed heavily and everyone is happy. Gov't also don't do clean ups, before a license is ever given to a mining company they have to show and budget a plan to close the mine cleanly.

You can't even put a shovel in the ground without proof that you will leave it as good as you possibly can.

this law might be from 1872 but mining and environmental work is from the new age.

[YoshiDragon101]

Our taxes pay for clean-up all the time. Have you ever heard of the Superfund program? There are numerous mine sites in Colorado that are being addressed through federal tax based programs. The 1872 mining law has never forced mining companies to clean up their messes. A new version of the law recently passed in the house that would begin a royalties program to pay for reclamation, but it faces strong opposition (e.g. Harry Reid). I don't appose mining. I urge reform of a law that is outdated.

[goldrushexpedinc]

Yoshi, you dont pay for mine clean ups. The existing coal mines do, they are taxed and its those dollars that go to reclamation.

An no, the Mining law doesnt look to clean up, there are other laws for that. the ones that charge companies millions of dollars for reclamation bonds. Educate before you speak.

[sugarpuddin88]

If you want to buy a mountain for $875, you have to kick money into the pockets of your local politician

[wessmann007]

Thats totally FUCKED UP!!!!!

[KrazyRawb]

It sucks its getting ruined.

[Drejccc]

Damn it's nice country

[Cindygem]

Cheap price to pay for such nature treasure.

Mountain like this should be respected and preserved. Sad.

[Vojnik55]

3/5

[3NUNS]

Interesting.

[teemuruskeepaa]

3:58 bushy tone and intonation

[itsfoyaboy]

875 wtf i will buy!!! im startin a mining company hahahahahahah

[Bigdaddyfisherman]

all you folks MUST watch a dvd called

"The Corporation"

[LovelyYTRocks]

Zomg! I wanna buy like 10 mountains.

I can them hunt animals and pan for gold!

[sugarpuddin88]

St George, Utah

WTF? $875 dollars!!!!!!

How much did the company kick back to the politician?

[l0gically]

You gotta wonder. There is NOTHING that prevents this law from being rewritten, updated, or superceded by something MUCH more sensible.

[basszack]

thats stupid!i guess it just goes to show you that if have the money you can buy the right people.i am sure this has come up before and if our elected officials represented us they would look out for us and never would have let this go on for so long.

[gibsonplayer10]

this is horrible i agree with dafttool

[quotagirl]

What a beautiful place!! Looks so much like B.C

I sure hope that 1872 law gets removed.

[dafttool]

These federal mining exemptions are obscene. Yet NONE of our presidents ever seriously challenges them. Not Bush. Not Clinton. It's disgusting.

[coolvr4]

I'm sure it's not a mistake that topics like this never even get raised during elections. A little wink-wink nudge-nudge deal between the parties not to mention each others' rackets.

[dojokonojo]

we should spam our congressmen with letters an requests lol

[SSShino]

first! i think ^^