Reclaiming Land and Eliminating Hazards in Washington State, One Abandoned Mine at a Time

Jul 21, 2026

In early June, the BLM Oregon/Washington Spokane District's Border Field Office partnered with Phil Barbarick of the BLM Idaho Mine Closure Team to complete the first phase of an Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) project at seven abandoned mines in northern Ferry County, Washington. The effort marked the culmination of months of planning, coordination, and field preparation to address significant public safety hazards on public lands.

Workers using a yellow excavator to unload a large metal culvert from a trailer on a forest road. — Workers place the culvert in the adit. Amazing mini-excavator skills are demonstrated by Outdoor Recreation Specialist Morgan O'Brien. Photo by Sarah Doyle, BLM.

The seven mines selected for this project had no readily identifiable responsible parties and posed a range of hazards, including deep shafts, unstable rock overhangs, and unknown underground conditions beyond the visible openings.

Before: Rocky slope with a small cave-like opening, shown next to an off‑road utility vehicle. — Adit that extended 60 feet back, didn't have bat habitat potential, and has loose rock around the collar. Photo by Morgan O'Brien, BLM.

After: Rocky hillside with loose soil and stones beneath a small cliff, surrounded by new green vegetation. — The same adit with the rock around collar knocked down and nearby road berm material used to fill it in. Photo by Morgan O'Brien, BLM.

Under Barbarick's guidance, Border Field Office employees gained hands-on experience with several mine closure techniques. The team used heavy equipment to backfill hazardous openings, installed expanding foam closures, and placed a culvert and welded a bat-compatible gate at a mine that extends approximately 1,400 feet underground. The gate allows continued access for bats and authorized personnel while improving public safety. Future project phases will include installing site-specific steel gates at two additional adit openings.

Person in a white protective suit working at the base of an eroded soil bank with foam material filling a void. — Polyurethane foam is great for permanent closures when minimal disturbance is required. Photo by Phil Barbarick, BLM.

While previous AML work in the district has largely been completed through contracts and agreements, this project demonstrated the value of building in-house expertise. Staff members applied skills developed in other programs to successfully carry out closure work, while Barbarick's leadership provided valuable technical knowledge and training.

This cross-state collaboration not only enabled the Border Field Office to complete a priority safety project efficiently but also strengthened the team's capacity to tackle future AML projects across the district.