Why the rare earths industry is about to bust in the American West, fracking-induced earthquakes, revival of a Montana mining town, and the sage grouse two-step. Cover image: Massimo Brega/The Lighthouse/Science Source
Latest: Clean Water Act to protect more waterways
After years of confusion over which waters are protected by the EPA, Waters of the US rule is updated.
Oceanic photos and call to action
Review of ‘The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest’
On lodestones and millstones
Mining made the West, sparking the gold and silver rushes that populated the mountains and shaping the way water is shared, public lands are managed and mineral wealth flows into corporate coffers. It created boomtowns, coal towns and ghost towns. Mining has driven the economy and despoiled the environment ever since the earliest days of…
Photographs of open-air cremation in Colorado
As eco-minded baby boomers age, they’re seeking alternatives to modern funerals.
Reflections on the atomic blast test in Nevada
How the “typical American family” fared in “Doom Town,” 1953.
See you in July
A skipped issue, a former editor publishes a book and visitors galore
The sage grouse two-step
Massive federal sage grouse conservation plans strike a delicate balance.
The scrappy effort to revive a former mining town
In Butte, Montana, optimism is booming.
Underdog roboticists
Review of ‘Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream’ by Joshua Davis.
We’re letting another predator go down
In New Mexico, some wildlife outranks others, with mountain lions landing near the bottom of the pack. It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that the solitary Puma concolor enjoys the status of rats or “trash fish” — which is how New Mexico’s wildlife department characterizes carp. Late last month, the New Mexico Game and…
Where industry makes earthquakes
Fracking has caused quakes in several states, but more research is needed.
A border crossing gone wrong
Review of ‘The Jaguar’s Children’ by John Vaillant.
Durango bear attack, a driver swerves to avoid bees in Montana, Tucson wins worst streets award and more.
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Latest: A controversial ski resort proposal gets approval
A Colorado land swap with the Forest Service gives developers a green light.
Why rare-earth mining in the West is a bust
Forget the hype. In the global rush for energy-critical elements, our region can’t compete.