Metallurgist at a mine here.
Got to say that these last posts are pretty intelligent and a good read. I have to agree with Jack's initial assessment too. Here's a bright fellow and a decades long expert in tailings impoundments.
One comment: The biggest unknown no-one appears to have touched on is the degree of bio-availability of the minerals/elements. It's one thing to say that X is present but it's completely different to imply all X is in the bioavailable form to cause environmental [HTML_REMOVED] health issues and omgwtfpanic! over it. Unfortunately, there is a bit of grey area to be considered… and an elemental water analysis alone won't clear anything up. (a good example is metal mercury vs methylated mercury, big differences).
What may be key to the drinkable water results, and Farmer hit this, is that in Polley's case is that the mine appears to be non acid generating. A huge win for immobilizing metals from ever even getting into the water. Don't get me wrong this is still a huge cock-up.
We're all apart of this. So please put the bloodlust into every other mine that is still operating so that they do things right and do things better. But if you still want to stop all the mining and omgwtf panic! I recommend this: take a look at your ring finger and connect that wedding band's gold to this mine. Now ask what is more important. Don't believe in marriage? That's cool. Then ask Siri what you should think.