The growing renewable energy industry is helping to add a new sheen to Colorado's silver-mining industry, creating a paradox for environmentalists. There is newfound optimism in the hills above Idaho Springs, where brown piles of mine tailings surround hundreds of long-abandoned mines, 9News [2] reports. The solar energy industry needs silver, says miner Al Mosch, who is reopening the Poor Man Mine. Silver futures are rising, up 27 percent in May alone, to hit $15.60 an ounce--the largest monthly gain since 1983, according to The Denver Post [3]. Of course, mining brings environmental concerns. In Summit County, for instance, officials are seeking to minimize the impact of cyanide heap-leaching, according to Summit Daily News [4].