, was a source of copper, and small amounts of silver and gold. The mine opened in the early 1850's and closed in 1987. The area is infamous for the incredible ecological damage it suffered due to soil, air and water pollution. At one time, 50 square miles of the area was completely bare of vegetation because of sulfuric acid fumes released during smelting of the ore and toxic water runoff from the mine tailings. Without plants, the soil became eroded, causing severe siltation in the creeks and rivers. Much of the aquatic life in the Ocoee River was killed off because of the siltation and high concentrations of heavy metals in the water. In the late 1930's scientists began attempting to reclaim the "biological desert" surrounding the mine. All of the pine trees in this photo are part of the reclaimation project. A small area around the mine has been left as it was "for old time's sake". Ducktown is located in the far southeast corner of Tennessee at the intersection of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 68. There is a small museum at the site that shows life in the area during the time the mine was up and running.
. It is amazing to realize that this rock was a muddy ocean bottom hundreds of millions of years ago, now it is over 5,000 feet above sea level!
A large Slate outcropping on the Chimney Tops crest.
