Characterization, Cleanup, and Revitalization of Mining Sites
Overview
- Overview
- Types of Mining Sites
- Characterization
- Cleanup Technologies
- Revitalization and Reuse
- Training and Events
- Resources and Links
- Conference Proceedings and Presentations
RSS Feed
[RSS Help]
This website provides site managers, regulatory agencies, consultants, and the general public with information on technologies and resources related to the assessment, characterization, cleanup, and revitalization of abandoned mine lands.
The EPA Superfund Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program identifies ways to protect human health and the environment using regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to address contamination at abandoned mine land sites. This may include Superfund remediation, voluntary cleanups, emergency responses, and cleanups leading to redevelopment and land revitalization. To coordinate the risk reduction and cleanup of abandoned mine lands, the AML Program works directly with other federal agencies, tribes, states, communities, and mine operators on research, characterization, cleanup, and redevelopment-related activities.
Other federal government agencies involved in the management of abandoned mine lands include the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service (NPS), and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM). Federal agencies also have access to the Superfund program for removal or remedial actions. The Superfund program can be used when a significant environmental or public health threat is imminent, or where a site poses an environmental threat and no potentially responsible party can be found. Because ownership of lands on which abandoned mines exist ranges widely, management of AMLs is a complex issue. More information on the types of AMLs that exist across the United States and site ownership issues can be found through the U.S. Government's Abandoned Mine Lands Portal. State mining agency websites may contain more in-depth information on the number of abandoned mine lands and the total area they occupy within individual states. Links to state mining agency websites can be found through the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration resource area.
Soil amendments are used at several mine sites to revitalize the soil and make it suitable for sustaining plant life or development. For more information on soil amendments, please visit the CLU-IN EcoTools: Tools for Ecological Land Reuse page on Soil Amendments.
