Safety - Abandoned Mines
You are here: Safety
> Abandoned Mines
Safe Visits on National Forests and Grasslands
Abandoned mine sites can be great safety hazards. Each year, a
number of people are killed or injured nationally in abandoned mines.
Many of these structures contain dilapidated frames, open shafts,
and water-filled pits. The dangers that are found in the mines include
old explosives, hazardous chemicals, snakes, spiders, mice, and
bats. Entrance puts a person at risk for hazards such as falls and
cave-ins.
Visitors also find these areas as accessible dumping grounds for
trash. This can cause a vessel for infestations and contact with
wild animals. In the process of dumping into these mines, many slips
and falls are incurred, which can lead to entrapment in the mines,
serious injuries and possible death.
The unmined mineral deposits can cause contamination to the surrounding
water systems. Some of these systems serve as municipal water supplies
for nearby citizens. The Forest Service, along with other land management
agencies, is involved in ensuring the safety of the water supply
and preventing contact with contaminated waters.
No one knows the exact location of all the abandoned mines over
the great American lands. Therefore we cannot warn the public of
the existence of all abandon mines. However, we work diligently
to assess our lands and assist the public by warning of the known
sites.
|