Reclaimed Earth Colors

Abandoned mines discharge 

Acidic mine drainage 

Full of oxides 

To the creeks and streams 

Making them toxic and polluted 

For years after the closure of the mine 

The sludge from the polluted streams 

Processed to remove impurities 

And dried at different temperatures 

To make powder of different colors 

When mixed with oil and additives 

And cold-pressed 

Magical paints of reclaimed earth colors emerge 

The tail ends from mines have lumps of minerals 

Crushing those minerals creates natural colors 

That can gloss pottery like in historical times 

Painters can give colors to their imaginations

With paints  made from the mine waste

And get closer to the nature 

To spread the message 

Of healing the nature 

This poem is inspired by a documentary of researchers from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, True Pigments LLC and gamblincolors converting AMD into the paint. Reclaimed Earth Colors is the brand of the paints produced in this manner.  This is not a paid promotion of the brand. I feel this is worthy of a shout-out due to the significance of their efforts. I also came across some other videos of converting minerals from tail end of the abandoned mines into paints. They're natural colors.