Following up on A Copper Mine in Ancient Israel and Environmental Destruction in Ancient Israel, and a note on King David:

• Geochemical surveys reveal ancient copper industry in King Solomon’s mines did not pollute environment
• Archaeologists Overturn Long-Held Beliefs About King Solomon’s Mines
• Ancient copper smelting at ‘King Solomon’s mines’ was less toxic than today’s industry

The more recent articles do not actually contradict the earlier ones. They are concerned with metal pollution, whereas those I referenced in Environmental Destruction…. are about deforestation: All of the local trees were consumed to make charcoal for the copper smelting.