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The Abandoned Mine Inventory of the United States—A Brief Summary

Fact Sheet 2025-3003
Mineral Resources Program
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20253003

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Abstract

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 required the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to inventory abandoned hard-rock mines in the United States. The Department of the Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance asked the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mineral Deposit Database project (USMIN) to use existing data sources to build an inventory of all individual abandoned mine features in the United States. In addition to feature locations, this new database documents the surface land management agency, associated physical and environmental hazards, and any completed mitigation efforts. This information will improve risk assessment and support land management efforts, including hazard mitigation, ecosystem restoration planning, and reclamation. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of USMIN’s collaborative efforts with Federal, State, and Tribal agencies to build a comprehensive and authoritative national inventory of abandoned mine features.

Suggested Citation

Mauk, J.L., Karl, N.A., Pierson, J.S., and San Juan, C.A., 2025, The abandoned mine inventory of the United States—A brief summary: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2025–3003, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20253003.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

ISSN: 2327-6916 (print)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • The National Abandoned Mine Database
  • A Brief History of Abandoned Mine Inventories in the United States
  • Building the Database Structure
  • Populating the Database and Mapping the Information
  • Summary
  • Acknowledgments
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title The abandoned mine inventory of the United States—A brief summary
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 2025-3003
DOI 10.3133/fs20253003
Publication Date March 14, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston VA
Contributing office(s) Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Description 2 p.
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional publication details