Thousands of geese die after landing in toxic mine water

Thousands of migrating geese have died after taking refuge from a snowstorm in toxic mine waters in the western United States, mine officials have said.

As many as 10,000 snow geese descended on the abandoned open Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana on Nov 28 and since then several thousand have perished, said Mark Thompson, environmental affairs manager for Montana Resources, which jointly manages the pit with the Atlantic Richfield Company.

Thompson said that mine workers tried to prevent the huge flock from landing on the water - which contains sulfuric acid and heavy metals - by using noise makers, spotlights and other methods but failed to scare them all off.