Mining
These Salt Flats in Puerto Rico Are Cotton-Candy Pink
The distinct color of Las Salinas comes from a combination of algae, bacteria, salt and water
Minerals Used in Kitty Litter Could Help Fight Climate Change
A MIT study shows how, when treated with copper, a clay called zeolite can convert methane to carbon dioxide, a less powerful greenhouse gas
Treasure Hunter Unearths 2.38-Carat 'Frankenstone' Diamond
Adam Hardin discovered the impressive brown gem at an Arkansas state park
The Trailblazing Black Entrepreneurs Who Shaped a 19th-Century California Boomtown
Though founded by Confederates, Julian became a place of opportunity for people of color—and a model for what the U.S. could look like after the Civil War
Denver Apologizes for Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880
A white mob terrorized residents and murdered a man, but the city never punished the perpetrators
Black Lights Turn This North Carolina Mine Into a Psychedelic Wonderland
The Bon Ami Mine’s deposits of the mineral hyalite glow fluorescent green under ultraviolet light
Mining Lithium for Electric Vehicle Batteries May Threaten Flamingos, a Study Finds
A lake in Chile has seen decreases in two flamingo populations over the last 11 years, which researchers link to lithium mining
Did Ancient Nomads Seize Control of a Roman Emerald Mine in Egypt?
Recent excavations suggest the Blemmyes assumed power of the Sikait mining site between the fourth and sixth centuries C.E.
Earliest Evidence of Mercury Poisoning in Humans Found in 5,000-Year-Old Bones
Researchers discovered the toxic element in remains buried across the Iberian Peninsula between the Neolithic period and antiquity
An Archaeological Dig Reignites the Debate Over the Old Testament's Historical Accuracy
Beneath a desert in Israel, a scholar and his team are unearthing astonishing new evidence of an advanced society in the time of the biblical Solomon
Researchers Recover DNA From 1,600-Year-Old, Naturally Mummified Sheep Leg
The molecules offer insights on ancient farming practices near the Chehrabad salt mine in Iran
Space Station Experiments Show How Microbes Could Be Used for Mining on Mars
Researchers sent bacteria and basalt rock to the ISS to figure out which microscopic organisms can extract useful metals in reduced gravity
Let These Photos Take You to Alaska's Abandoned Mining Towns
Photographer Paul Scannell recounts stories of perilous treks and quiet reflection on his journey to capture the ruins of the northern frontier
Why Are All Swedish Cottages Painted Red?
One company has exclusive rights to the source of the iconic pigment—a copper mine's supply of iron deposits that may last just a century more
World Methane Emissions Hit New High
Agriculture and fossil fuels drive a surge in global emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas
An Underwater Cave Once Hosted the Americas' Oldest Known Ocher Mine
Humans have valued the rich red pigment for hundreds of thousands of years
Local Man Finds 2,000-Year-Old Roman Lead Ingot in Welsh Field
Rob Jones' discovery adds a tangible piece of evidence to the history of mining in Roman Britain
Deep-Sea Mining’s Environmental Toll Could Last Decades
A study of microbial communities at the site of a 1989 deep-sea mining test suggests the fragile ecosystem may take half a century to fully recover
The History of the Hard Hat
With some canvas, leather, shelac and black paint, inventor Edward Bullard helped America usher in a new era of workplace safety
How This Abandoned Mining Town in Greenland Helped Win World War II
Ivittuut held the world’s largest reserve of naturally occurring cryolite, a mineral that was used in the manufacturing of fighter planes
