Abandoned Mine Lands
The Bureau of Land Management’s Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program enhances public safety and improves water quality by reducing or eliminating the effects of past hardrock mining in the western United States.
BLM maintains an inventory of known abandoned mine lands on public lands. Most of the sites are abandoned hardrock mines. As of February 23, 2011, the inventory contained nearly 31,000 sites and 65,000 features. Approximately 25% of the sites have either been remediated, have reclamation actions planned or underway, or do not require further action. The remaining 75% require further investigation and/or remediation. The BLM and its partners are working on sharing and displaying AML spatial data within a National Mine Land Inventory. Go to www.geocommunicator.gov to view spatial data.
BLM and its “Cooperative Conservation” partners mitigate hazards to protect public health and safety, and restore watersheds for resources, recreation, fish, and wildlife. The AML program helps restore the environment and improve safety for visitors and users of public lands.
Within the BLM, the AML program coordinates projects with the BLM's Hazardous Materials Management program. Many AML sites have hazardous material features that need to be remediated.
Check out the AML program's At-A-Glance factsheet. The factsheet provides a light overview of the program and our accomplishments.
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