Making 200,000 tons of arsenic dust safe
2,434,234
Published 2018-06-18
Thanks to all the team at the Giant Mine Remediation Project! More about them: www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100027364/1100100027…
There's an error in this video: I say "200,000 tonnes of gold", but that's actually 200,000kg. The 200,000 tonne figure is for arsenic dust. You can see all corrections for this channel at www.tomscott.com/corrections/
The history of Giant Mine and the local First Nation people, a story I'm not qualified to tell: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canada-150-betsina-fa…
Edited by Michelle Martin (@mrsmmartin)
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All Comments (21)
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There's an error in this video: I say "200,000 tonnes of gold", but that's actually 200,000kg. The 200,000 tonne figure is for arsenic dust. You can see all corrections for this channel at www.tomscott.com/corrections/
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Mine produced 8 billion of gold, and went 'bankrupt', Canadian tax payers are paying 900 million to contain the deadly arsenic for 100 years. The lake and surrounding area are still off limits. One of the worst trade deals in history.
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> mines 8 billion USD of gold > goes bankrupt
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“our work here could literally kill everybody on earth multiple times” “yea but g o l d”
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Sounds like another kind of "Privatizing profits and socializing losses"
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Leaving 200.000 tons of toxic mess Sorry
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There are posters up in Yellowknife, advising of free arsenic tests for people who've lived there a long time. Do pull down the description for more about the history - it's a story that one person visiting for a couple of days definitely isn't qualified to tell!
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"This project has gotten approval for 100 years." Has it gotten funding for 100 years?
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The hell, is Tom Scott trying to get himself killed in Canada? Tempts fate at the US/Canada border, goes to the fatherland of Asbestos, makes a video about floods and fire, slips on ice, now he's trying to get hypothermia AND being poisoned??
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When you said that mine was close to the city, I thought it was a fair bit away. Until I looked at google earth. Holy crap that is terrifying. The mine is basically within the city limits.
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"Enough to kill everyone on earth several times over" is something we need to focus on more I think
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It's basically the Balrog. We got so greedy digging for riches that we dug up something that could kill us all if it doesn't stay dormant forever...
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It's disgusting how mining companies can get away with declaring bankruptcy and then bugger off without having to do anything about the poisons they've left (since, "obviously", it would be wrong to hold the owners of the company responsible for the company's actions and debts /s).
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Whenever people bring up 'nuclear waste' as a concern for power plants I really can't help but think about things like this, and how much safer and easier to deal with nuclear 'waste' actually is compared to so many other kinds of industrial waste.
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Tom, thanks for the video. I am now completely outraged about how poorly managed mine cleanup has been regulated in my country. Since 2004 I'm sure legislation has been enacted to hold those accountable for environmental damage and careless disregard for the environment doesn't go unpunished...but then I remembered the Mt. Polly mining disaster of 2015.
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Thank you very much Scott. I once studied at McGill University , and one of my peers actually worked on the thermodynamic aspects of Arsenic Oxides. The experimentations were very challenging and required complex approvals, but it would be very rewarding for him to know that his work contributes to remediation projects exactly like this one, and more people could come to appreciate the endeavor thanks to your channel.
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This was very interesting, but also extremely scary... Still nice video as usual!
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Remember folks, government regulations kill jobs, but lack of regulation kills all of humanity several times over...
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"summer of 2020" - well that didn't age well
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"It has no scent, no taste, and dissolves in water." Arsenic trioxide is iocane power!
