I did a lot of research on radiation/radioactive elements/end results for some papers in high school. Places in the North America are considered ghost towns are Jeffrey City, Wyoming and Uranium City, Saskatchewan. Both were booming in the 70s and very early 80s. The value of uranium dropped so low that most mining companies pulled out of the town that grew around them.

The mine in Uranium City closed and a town of 5000 went to 300 in a 3 month period as everyone moved out. New houses in a subdivision of town went abandoned. Cars were left behind, and many houses were burned because of lack of attention. A high school stands vacant and deer roam freely thru the buildings. Got a ways out to the mines, and the radiation levels in some of the runoff lakes from the mines are so high, its like getting a year's worth of radiation in 8 hours.

The mine at Jeffrey City closed and many new buildings were left vacant and abandoned. All the clocks read 8:30am, when the power was cut to the town. Paved roads and traffic lights stand empty. A new gymnasium was left completed then promptly abandoned. Cable boxes stand abandoned. Everything is in ruins.

Do a Google search for these two towns. Some interesting and attention catching stuff, and some sad pictures.