Abandoned Mine

Land Hazard

Awareness: What is

BLM Doing to

Inform the Public?

Rory Raschen, Physical Scientist

BLM, National Science and

Technology Center (NSTC)

Background

Abandoned mines can present both physical safety

hazards and serious environmental risks. Mine Health

and Safety Administration

(MSHA) statistics indicate

that at least 17 fatalities

occurred in and around

abandoned mines in 1999.

The number is probably

higher because there is no

formal requirement to

report incidents to MSHA.

In response to these tragic

and avoidable losses, many

of whom were children,

MSHA has launched a

national safety program

called the “Mine Hazard

Awareness Campaign.”

On August 5, 1999, the

BLM joined the cooperative

venture of more than 35

federal, state and private

sector agencies and organizations to increase awareness

of the hazards of mine sites,

whether active or abandoned.

NSTC represents the BLM

on the campaign workgroup.

Although there have been several meetings to develop a

common strategy and set of

goals, each entity conducts

outreach separately and in a

way appropriate to its mission.

Many have developed flyers

and informational tools and

have visited schools and community groups to convey the

dangers of abandoned mines

and to promote the message:

Stay Out - Stay Alive. 

Since accepting the invitation to participate in the

Campaign, BLM has relied

on NSTC to help with

BLM’s Abandoned Mine

Lands (AML) Safety outreach

efforts in the following ways:

Abandoned Mine 

Lands Safety Brochure

The AML Safety Brochure,

developed by NSTC entitled

“Abandoned Mines are

Potential Killers,” pointedly

depicts the main safety hazards that are likely to be

encountered around mines

and underscores the dangers

with actual accounts of fatal

incidents and survivor

accounts. The brochure is

aimed at the entire range of

people who use the public

lands and who may encounter

abandoned mines while, for

example, hiking, camping,

mountain biking, or off-road

recreating. Approximately

50,000 copies of this brochure

were printed and distributed

to BLM State Offices in

August 1999. A second printing of 10,000 was ordered in

December of 1999.

BLM Abandoned 

Mine Lands Website

In concert with the WO

Protection and Response

Group (WO-360), NSTC

has developed an extensive

and informative AML web

site that can be found at

http://www.blm.gov/narsc/aml.

The site contains general

information about the

impacts of abandoned mines

on public safety and on the

environment and draws on

some material from the AML

Safety brochure. It describes

how BLM intends to deal

with the problem of cleaning up AML sites within

the context of a larger

watershed-based approach

and provides basic information about priority setting

and the budget framework

within which the BLM

must work.

The AML website further

provides links to BLM

Information Bulletins and

Instruction Memorandums

applicable to AML, as well as

RESOURCE NOTES

NO. 22 DATE 06/29/00

Range

HazardousMaterials
links to many of the laws and

regulatory tools that shape

BLM’s management strategy

(e.g., FLPMA, SMCRA,

CWA, CERCLA, etc.). The

site also provides links to useful reference materials and

AML websites containing

environmental studies, ecological risk and natural

resource damage assessments,

and case histories of successful cleanup efforts.

The site provides for links to

BLM State Office websites,

which in turn will provide

State-specific information on

AML projects and accomplishments within each BLM

jurisdiction. The site also

includes a list of AML coordinators and many other

features such as AML incidents in the news and whats

new in BLM with respect to

AML. As States update their

websites with current AML

information and users provide

feedback on other applicable

sites, this national BLM AML

website should become a great

source of useful information

for both the general public

and for AML specialists in

BLM who need technical and

policy guidance.

Abandoned Mine 

Lands Safety Display

NSTC has also designed an

attractive traveling display

that depicts the safety and

environmental concerns associated with abandoned mine

lands. The display consists of

six panels. They are combined

into three folding displays of

two panels each and draw

liberally on the contents of

the AML safety brochure and

the layout of some of the web

pages in the AML website.

The display is intended for

use at AML workshops,

conferences, poster sessions,

and school/community presentations.

Contact

Rory Raschen, Physical

Scientist, National Science

and Technology Center,

Denver Federal Center,

Building 50

P.O. Box 25047

Denver, CO, 80225-0047,

phone (303) 236-0196

fax (303) 236-3508

email Rory_Raschen@blm.gov

NSTC Abandoned Mine

Lands information available

at:

http://www.blm.gov/narsc/aml

Range

Resource Notes are intended to be early

announcements of technical and informational topics for

Bureau of Land Management personnel and some of their customers.

Information in this Resource Note is based on the opinion and

experience of the author and has not been peer-reviewed. Conclusions

and opinions expressed herein do not

necessarily represent those of BLM. Use of trade names does not

imply U.S. Government endorsement of commercial products.

If you have received a copy of or found out about Resource

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NAME, TITLE, MAILING ADDRESS and a list of the two or three

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phil_dittberner@blm.gov or FAX 303-236-3508.

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Thank you for your interest in Resource NoteS.