A 17th-century dam failure released tons of toxic mercury into a colonial city
In 1626, a catastrophic dam failure in the mining city of Potosí released nearly 20 tons of toxic mercury, leaving a poisonous legacy that persists in the environment today.
The failure of the San Ildefonso Dam on March 15, 1626, unleashed a deadly flood that carried 19.3 tons of liquid mercury through the streets of Potosí. At the time, mercury was essential for the amalgamation process used to extract silver for the Spanish Empire. The disaster killed thousands and destroyed over half of the city's silver-processing mills.
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