KEEP OUT

Old mines are Old mines are Old mines are

DANGEROUS DANGEROUS DANGEROUS

! Abandoned surface mines also contain dangers. Many of the steep

embankments and high walls are very unstable and will collapse under

the weight of a person, especially after periods of alternate freezing

and thawing which cracks the rock and weakens the steep earth

material . Water bodies may look like desirable swimming holes or ice

skating ponds; however, they can be deceptively deep, dangerously

cold, and frequently hide steep slippery sides that can make climbing

out extremely difficult or a life-threatening danger.

Regardless of the type of mine, remember to stay away if you spot what

appears to be an abandoned mine. It’s likely to be dangerous. And, if

you are in a area where coal has been mined, watch where you are

going. You may stumble across an abandoned mine when you least

expect it. Be alert!

Don’t go looking for abandoned mines but if you find what you think is an

abandoned mine shaft, tunnel, or other danger, mark the location so it

can be easily spotted. Be careful not to go too close. Then report what

you found to the nearest location of the Office of Surface Mining, or

contact your state abandoned mine reclamation office (see

www.osmre.gov/map.htm for contact information). Be prepared to

describe the approximate location, identifying landmarks, nearby trails, or

other characteristics that will help authorities locate the mine.

Reporting the location of abandoned mines is a public service. You will

be protecting others from danger, and helping America maintain and

improve the environment. For additional information about abandoned

mine land hazards visit the Office of Surface Mining “Keep out” web site

at www.osmre.gov/keepout.htm).

And remember, warning signs should be taken seriously; however, most

abandoned mine hazards have no warning signs or fences around them

and the hazards are not always apparent. Abandoned mines sites are an

irresistible and sometimes deadly attraction for children and adults. In

addition, trespassing or exploring on abandoned mines is a violation of

property rights just like walking into someone’s yard or home without their

permission. So...Keep out and be safe.

U.S. Department of the Interior

Office of Surface Mining

1951 Constitution Ave., N.W.

Washington, DC 20240

Telephone (202) 208-2719

E-mail: getinfo@osmre.gov

www.osmre.gov
Whether hiking, camping, hunting, 4-wheeling, or simply just enjoying the

countryside, outdoor activities are a source of enjoyment for millions of

Americans each year. But outdoor recreation also requires caution –

especially near abandoned mines.

No one knows the exact

number or location of all

abandoned surface and

underground coal mines in

this country. We do know

that hundreds are scattered across the American

countryside, primarily in

the eastern coal-producing

states, such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia,

and Kentucky. In western

states like Colorado,

Arizona, Montana, and

Utah there are also

abandoned “hard-rock”

mines that pose additional

dangers. Hazardous

abandoned mine problems

include open shafts and

horizontal openings

resulting from underground

mining, unstable vertical

cliff-like highwalls, dangerous water bodies, collapsing buildings and rusting machinery, and

defective or unused explosives. Many of these hazards are the result of

mining that occurred years ago – some in the early 1900s. There is

nothing of value left in abandoned mines – that’s why they were abandoned. Federal and state reclamation agencies are working to reclaim

abandoned mines, but there are so many of them left that it is vital to

know about abandoned mine dangers and stay away from them.

! Abandoned mine shafts may be unmarked or unprotected at the

surface and be hundreds of feet down. They may be fairly easy to see

if they are large; they may be obscured by years of vegetative overgrowth; they may be covered by decayed and rotten boards that will

give way under the slightest weight; or they may be a combination of

all these. Even when an open shaft is clearly visible, walking close to

it is very dangerous because the decomposed rock at the top of the

shaft can suddenly cave in.

! Abandoned horizontal mine openings leading into underground

tunnels may seem sturdy to the untrained person but be prone to cave

in. They may seem safe to explore but can contain many hazards –

rotten roof support beams, deadly odorless gases, poisonous snakes,

vertical shafts in the tunnel floors, and flooded sections. Darkness and

sharp objects hanging from the roof add to these underground mine

hazards. In addition, unused or misfired explosives can become

highly unstable and be set off by a slight disturbance or a touch.

Blasting caps, resembling a firecracker with wires, are sometimes

found on the ground and, if stepped on, they will explode.

This is an abandoned underground coal mine entrance in Eastern

Kentucky. It would be VERY dangerous to

enter this mine opening. The unstable roof

is caving in and large sections are continuously falling.

Abandoned surface mines may contain unstable highwalls -- where injury

or death from falling rock creates serious danger. In addition, highwalls

present a serous hazard to off-road vehicles, who’s drivers may accidentally drive over the edge. The water-filled pits at this Midwest abandoned

coal mine have steep, unstable banks and sharp rocks hidden under the

water.