Abandoned Mine Site Inventory
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BLM maintains an inventory of known abandoned mine lands on public lands. Most of the sites are abandoned hardrock mines. As of April 9, 2008, the inventory contained over 12,200 sites and 49,000 features. Approximately 20% of the sites have either been remediated, have reclamation actions planned or underway, or do not require further action. The remaining 80% require further investigation and/or remediation.
| | | | Abandoned Mine Lands | | | |
| | | | Site Status | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Remaining |
| No Action | Completed | In Progress | Planned | Undetermined | Total | Sites |
| Needed | | (a) | (b) | (c) | Sites | (a+b+c) |
| AK | 115 | 27 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 166 | 24 |
| AZ | 262 | 25 | 12 | 80 | 1,508 | 1,887 | 1,600 |
| CA | 4 | 44 | 30 | 27 | 356 | 461 | 413 |
| CO | 120 | 433 | 57 | 29 | 2,290 | 2,929 | 2,376 |
| ID | 17 | 56 | 26 | 61 | 467 | 627 | 554 |
| MT | 141 | 96 | 48 | 19 | 512 | 816 | 579 |
| NM | 10 | 35 | 10 | 0 | 546 | 601 | 556 |
| NV | 35 | 512 | 65 | 835 | 1,730 | 3,177 | 2,630 |
| OR | 0 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 44 | 35 |
| SD | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| UT | 0 | 2 | 78 | 0 | 405 | 485 | 483 |
| WA | 1 | 13 | 16 | 5 | 40 | 75 | 61 |
| WY | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 925 | 934 | 934 |
| Total | 705 | 1,252 | 371 | 1,057 | 8,819 | 12,204 | 10,247 |
| Source: BLM's AML Inventory System | as of 4/9/2008 |
This data should be considered soft because the BLM is currently reviewing and updating its data. In addition, the majority of sites were reported during the initial inventory efforts from various sources, but have not been assessed on the ground by the BLM.
You can view the latest BLM AML spatial data at www.geocommunicator.gov.
Abandoned Mine Site Features Inventory
FEATURE | Feature Count | Per Cent |
CAVED ADIT/DECLINE/TUNNEL | 190 | 0.4% |
CAVED SHAFT/INCLINE/STOPE | 70 | 0.1% |
HIGH WALLS/PITS | 3,300 | 6.7% |
ILLEGAL DUMP - HAZARDOUS WASTE | 1 | 0.0% |
MINE/MINERAL PROCESSING MILL | 14 | 0.0% |
OPEN ADIT/DECLINE/TUNNEL | 8,270 | 16.8% |
OPEN SHAFT/INCLINE/STOPE | 5,921 | 12.0% |
OTHER | 19,926 | 40.4% |
REPOSITORY | 14 | 0.0% |
SPILLS (OTHER THAN PIPELINES) | 1 | 0.0% |
TAILINGS | 506 | 1.0% |
TANKS (ABOVE GROUND & UNDER GROUND) | 1 | 0.0% |
WASTE DUMP | 11,162 | 22.6% |
TOTAL | 49,376 | 100.0% |
The BLM has been able to identify the specific feature type for approximately 60% of its feature records. For the undetermined, planned, or in progress sites, data show that the most commonly identified feature types are:
- Open adits and shafts;
- Waste dumps;
- Highwalls and pits; and
- Tailings piles
The remaining 40% of the feature records (19,926, Other) need further data review and/or field validation.
| | | | BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT | | |
| | | | ABANDONED MINE LAND FEATURES | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | CAVED ADIT/ DECLINE/ TUNNEL | CAVED SHAFT/ INCLINE/ STOPE | HIGH WALLS/PITS | ILLEGAL DUMP - HAZARDOUS WASTE | MINE/ MINERAL PROCESSING MILL | OPEN ADIT/ DECLINE/ TUNNEL | OPEN SHAFT/ INCLINE / STOPE |
AK | | | | | 1 | 2 | |
AZ | 7 | 1 | 106 | 1 | 1 | 681 | 1,348 |
CA | 11 | 2 | 37 | | 2 | 353 | 230 |
CO | 65 | 35 | 906 | | 2 | 2,488 | 1,087 |
ID | 40 | 13 | 68 | | 4 | 844 | 257 |
MT | 49 | 11 | 16 | | 1 | 267 | 125 |
NM | | | 75 | | | 288 | 569 |
NV | 7 | 7 | 198 | | 3 | 2,087 | 1,600 |
OR | | | | | | 26 | 17 |
SD | | | | | | 1 | 4 |
UT | 1 | | 91 | | | 642 | 189 |
WA | 9 | 1 | 3 | | | 60 | 31 |
WY | 1 | | 1,800 | | | 531 | 464 |
Total | 190 | 70 | 3,300 | 1 | 14 | 8,270 | 5,921 |
| | | | | | | | |
| | OTHER | REPOSITORY | SPILLS(OTHER THAN PIPELINES) | TAILINGS | TANKS (ABOVE GROUND & UNDER GROUND) | WASTE DUMP | Total |
| AK | 188 | | | 2 | | 1 | 194 |
| AZ | 1,225 | | | 35 | | 192 | 3,597 |
| CA | 484 | | | 52 | 1 | 56 | 1,228 |
| CO | 6,413 | | | 56 | | 4,552 | 15,604 |
| ID | 1,263 | 1 | | 54 | | 919 | 3,463 |
| MT | 722 | 13 | | 23 | | 68 | 1,295 |
| NM | 998 | | | 45 | | 59 | 2,034 |
| NV | 6,503 | | 1 | 107 | | 2,417 | 12,930 |
| OR | 42 | | | 5 | | 3 | 93 |
| SD | 5 | | | 1 | | 1 | 12 |
| UT | 1,393 | | | 27 | | 876 | 3,219 |
| WA | 27 | | | 9 | | 19 | 159 |
| WY | 663 | | | 90 | | 1,999 | 5,548 |
| Total | 19,926 | 14 | 1 | 506 | 1 | 11,162 | 49,376 |
| | | | | | | | |
| Source: BLM's Abandoned Mine - Site Cleanup Database as of 4/9/2008 | | |