New metal collecting machine may clean up contaminated mine waters

There is a new machine being tested in Montana that could decontaminate toxic mine tailings while recovering valuable precious minerals for everyday use.

Gold, silver and other metals are essential for our cellphones, computers and electronic devices and their sale could offset the processor’s purchase and operational costs.

If pilot tests are successful, the inventors envision building them in the United States. The potential market is worldwide because there are over 3,500 tailing ponds awaiting treatment.

For now, it is a South Africa contraption originally designed for extracting microscop...