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Ghost Town Presently Poisoned by the Past
Darell White walks on the main street of Randsburg, CA (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
There are many mines across the country, but one old mining town has been signaled out as especially dangerous for its 300 residents and various visitors. A government audit found that Rand Mining District in Randsburg, CA--some 2 1/2 hours north of LA by car--is especially hazardous. Officials found it so bad, they discovered "contaminated mine waste in residents' backyards and arsenic-laden trails openly used by thousands of off-road bikers," according to the Associated Press.
But residents of the ghost town are not that concerned pointing out that no one they know have died from arsenic poisoning. If the government decides to clean up the site, it will be at the tune of $170 million (nationwide, cleanup would be $72 billion).
Until then, off-roaders and ghost town tourists will still visit Randsburg without much concern.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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