New hope for the abandoned consequences of hard-rock mining

In rural Washington, the first test of a 2024 cleanup law is yielding valuable results

By: K.C. Mehaffey

Outlets: Columbia insight

Published: November 5, 2026

Words: 1,686

Last Updated: 3 days, 1 hour ago

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In many ways, the Bodie Mine in rural north-central Washington is typical of tens of thousands of abandoned mine sites across the nation.

After gold was discovered on this mountainside near present-day Wauconda, Wash., in 1897, the Bodie Mine went through a couple of boom-and-bust cycles.

After the last bust it was left to the elements.

Like countless other abandoned mines, the mining operations left behind a ghost town, a handful of broken-down structures and tons and tons …

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