What happens when profits come before people? Picher was once rich in lead and zinc, but environmental neglect turned it into one of the most dangerous places in America.

But the population of Picher, Oklahoma, slowly dwindled over the last several decades to now empty. The town Picher, Okla. is seen nestled among huge lead-laced piles of rock, Saturday ...

1891: Picher Mining Field discovered. Mining of lead and zinc begins. 1914-15: Picher begins as mining camp. 1915-1930: Picher is the center of the largest zinc mining area in the world.

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. MIAMI, Okla. – An older sister of ...