Summary:
- Mining companies are supposed to return the land to its natural state when they are done.
- Chemicals released from mining can contaminate nearby water sources.
- U.S. law states that once mining is complete, the land must be restored.
- This process is called reclamation.
- A pit may be refilled with dirt.
- It may be filled with water to create a lake.
- The pits may be turned into landfills.
- Underground mines may be sealed off or left open as homes for bats.