How coal mine waste could power America’s next clean energy movement

Treating acid mine drainage and extracting its valuable rare earth elements offers a way to transform pollution into prosperity.

Across Appalachia, rust-colored water seeps from abandoned coal mines, staining rocks orange and coating stream beds with metals. These acidic discharges, known as acid mine drainage, are among the region’s most persistent environmental problems. They disrupt aquatic life, corrode pipes, and can contaminate drinking water for decades.