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Abandoned mines › Alabama
Abandoned mine inventory

Abandoned mines in Franklin County, Alabama

Franklin County, Alabama has 174 mine and prospect features on USGS topographic maps published 1935–2000, including 2 mine openings (shafts, adits and air shafts); 4 of the features carry a name on the map. OSMRE's abandoned mine land inventory lists 34 problems in the county, 22 of them not yet reclaimed. MSHA's register carries 56 mines in the county with status Abandoned or Abandoned and Sealed.

Every mine and prospect feature the USGS digitized from historical topographic maps covering Franklin County, every OSMRE abandoned mine land problem in the county, and every MSHA-registered mine here with status Abandoned. Named features are listed below; unnamed ones are counted by type. Locations are deliberately not shown: this page says what abandoned workings are in the county, not where to find them. They are dangerous and should not be entered.

Mapped mine features (USGS)
174
Mine openings
2
OSMRE problems unreclaimed
22
MSHA mines marked abandoned
56
4 features carry a name0 prospect pits18 quadrangle maps, published 1935–2000 34 OSMRE problems, 12 reclaimed 1 MSHA mines abandoned and sealed
What the features are
  1. Mine openings
    shafts, adits, air shafts, portals and vertical openings: the ways into underground workings
    2 1.0%
  2. Mines and surface workings
    labelled mines, open pits, strip mines, placer and hydraulic workings
    129 62.0%
  3. Quarries, gravel and borrow pits
    construction-material and industrial-mineral extraction
    42 20.2%
  4. Dumps, tailings, spoil and gob
    what mining left above ground
    15 7.2%
  5. Other reclamation problems
    highwalls, subsidence, polluted or clogged water, fires, slides and gases in OSMRE's inventory
    20 9.6%
Named features on the maps4 named · from the USGS compilation
Name on map Feature
G R Cummings Mine Open Pit Mine
Northernmost Mines Adit
Northernmost Mines Adit
Wilson Mine Open Pit Mine

A name is the label printed beside the symbol on the map. "First mapped" is the earliest topographic edition that shows the symbol, which bounds the feature's age from above; it is not the date it was worked. Unnamed features (most prospect pits, adits and shafts carry no label) are in the counts above but not this list.

OSMRE abandoned mine land problems34 on inventory
Problem area Problem Status
Batestown Bridge P1 Polluted Water: Human Consumption Reclamation Completed
Center Point P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments Reclamation Pending
Center Point P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending
Center Point, North P1 Dangerous Highwalls In Reclamation
Center Point, North P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Completed
Dime, S.w. P1 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Pending
Dime, S.w. P1 Polluted Water: Human Consumption Reclamation Completed
Dime, S.w. P3 Equipment Facility Reclamation Pending
Dime, S.w. P3 Industrial/Residential Waste Reclamation Pending
Dime, S.w. P3 Other Reclamation Pending
Dime, S.w. P3 Spoil Area In Reclamation
Dime, South P2 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Pending
Dime, South P3 High Wall Reclamation Pending
Dime, South P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Completed
Mars Hill Church P1 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Pending
Mars Hill Church P3 Other In Reclamation
Mars Hill Church P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending
Phil Campbell P2 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Completed
Phil Campbell P3 High Wall Reclamation Pending
Phil Campbell P3 Other Reclamation Completed
Phil Campbell P3 Spoil Area In Reclamation
Phil Campbell, S.e. P1 Polluted Water: Human Consumption Reclamation Completed
Phil Campbell, S.e. P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Completed
Phil Campbell, South P1 Polluted Water: Human Consumption Reclamation Completed
Phil Campbell, South P2 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Completed
Posey Mill P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending
Posey Mill, Nw P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Completed
Russellville, North P1 Dangerous Highwalls Reclamation Pending
Russellville, North P3 Other In Reclamation
Russellville, North P3 Pits In Reclamation
Russellville, North P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending
Shady Grove Church P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending
Shady Grove Church P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Completed
Shady Grove Church East P3 Spoil Area Reclamation Pending

Problem types carry OSMRE's priority prefix: P1 and P2 are threats to health, safety and property, P3 is environmental. A problem area is a cluster of problems reclaimed as one project; several rows can share one location.

MSHA-registered mines with status Abandoned56 on register
  1. Ace Pit No 1
    Surface coal · Ace Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102347
    Abandoned
  2. Bear Allen Quarry
    Surface metal/non-metal · Russellville Cut Stone Inc · MSHA ID 0102874
    Abandoned
  3. Bear Creek
    Surface coal · Mays Mining, Inc. · MSHA ID 0103246
    Abandoned
  4. Bear Creek Pit No 2
    Surface coal · Kinlock Coals Inc · MSHA ID 0101645
    Abandoned
  5. Bear Creek Rail
    Facility coal · Dime Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102613
    Abandoned
  6. Belgreen Sand & Gravel
    Surface metal/non-metal · Rogers Group Inc · MSHA ID 0102903
    Abandoned
  7. Bishop Pit
    Surface coal · Tennessee Valley Mining Company · MSHA ID 0101441
    Abandoned
  8. Blackburn Mine
    Surface metal/non-metal · Shook & Fletcher Supply Company · MSHA ID 0100507
    Abandoned
  9. Cat Hollow Mine
    Surface coal · S & S Coal Company · MSHA ID 0102357
    Abandoned
  10. Cat Hollow Strip
    Surface coal · C & R Mining Company · MSHA ID 0101932
    Abandoned
  11. Dime Preparation Plant
    Facility coal · Alabama Land & Mineral Corp · MSHA ID 0102161
    Abandoned
  12. EDSU PIT
    Surface metal/non-metal · Edsu Inc · MSHA ID 0102789
    Abandoned
  13. Estus Strip
    Surface coal · Rapco Inc · MSHA ID 0101466
    Abandoned
  14. Flagnagan Mine
    Underground coal · Carbonex Coal Company · MSHA ID 0102491
    Abandoned and Sealed
  15. Franklin County Pit No 1
    Surface coal · Torch Light Resources Mining Company · MSHA ID 0101965
    Abandoned
  16. Franklin County Pit No 3
    Surface coal · Seminole Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101964
    Abandoned
  17. Franklin Pit
    Surface coal · Trimble Contracting Company · MSHA ID 0102287
    Abandoned
  18. Gas Branch Mine No 1
    Surface coal · Gast Branch Mining & Land Development Co Inc · MSHA ID 0102136
    Abandoned
  19. Haleyville Pit
    Surface coal · Winston Mining Inc · MSHA ID 0101419
    Abandoned
  20. Harris Pit(Strip)
    Surface coal · Real Coal Inc · MSHA ID 0101700
    Abandoned
  21. J & G Mine #3
    Surface coal · Gun Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102591
    Abandoned
  22. Knight Mine
    Surface coal · Mays Mining, Inc. · MSHA ID 0103451
    Abandoned
  23. Limestone Red Bay
    Surface metal/non-metal · Limestone Red Bay Inc · MSHA ID 0103438
    Abandoned
  24. Little Dice
    Surface coal · Ajax Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101834
    Abandoned
  25. Little Dice Strip
    Surface coal · T & K Coal Company · MSHA ID 0101943
    Abandoned
  26. Margo No 3 Strip
    Surface coal · Margo Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101274
    Abandoned
  27. Meredyth Mine
    Surface coal · Mays Mining, Inc. · MSHA ID 0103374
    Abandoned
  28. Mine #1
    Surface coal · Hugh Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102434
    Abandoned
  29. Mine No 3
    Surface coal · J & G Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102454
    Abandoned
  30. Montgomery Pit
    Surface coal · Fell & Lawrence Inc · MSHA ID 0101701
    Abandoned
  31. No 1 Strip Pit
    Surface coal · Nu-Way Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101509
    Abandoned
  32. No 2 Strip
    Surface coal · Northwest Ala Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101672
    Abandoned
  33. PICKARD PIT
    Surface metal/non-metal · North Alabama Sand & Gravel Inc · MSHA ID 0103044
    Abandoned
  34. Pit #1
    Surface coal · Dime Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101791
    Abandoned
  35. Pit 1
    Surface coal · F A B Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0102448
    Abandoned
  36. Pit No 1 Strip
    Surface coal · Tittle & King Coal Company · MSHA ID 0101651
    Abandoned
  37. Pit No 2
    Surface coal · C & G Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101882
    Abandoned
  38. Pit No 5
    Surface coal · Waco Coal Company · MSHA ID 0101467
    Abandoned
  39. Porter Pit
    Surface coal · Crimson Mining Inc · MSHA ID 0101980
    Abandoned
  40. Posey Mill Mine
    Surface coal · Haley & Drake Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101958
    Abandoned
  41. Posey Mill No 1 Mine
    Surface coal · Larry Terry Contractors Inc · MSHA ID 0101662
    Abandoned
  42. Riley Mine
    Surface coal · Trimble Contracting Company · MSHA ID 0102308
    Abandoned
  43. Rockwood Crushstone Incorporated
    Facility metal/non-metal · Rockwood Crushstone Inc · MSHA ID 0102377
    Abandoned
  44. Rockwood Mine 2
    Surface metal/non-metal · Alabama Limestone Company Ltd · MSHA ID 0102965
    Abandoned
  45. Russellville Quarry
    Surface metal/non-metal · Vulcan Materials Company · MSHA ID 0100048
    Abandoned
  46. Russellville Quarry
    Surface metal/non-metal · Low Land Construction Inc. · MSHA ID 0103583
    Abandoned
  47. Russellville Quarry
    Surface metal/non-metal · Coastal Rock LLC · MSHA ID 0103590
    Abandoned
  48. Russellville Sand Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Holland Company Inc · MSHA ID 0100894
    Abandoned
  49. Smith Pit No 1
    Surface coal · Ace Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101455
    Abandoned
  50. Spruce Pine Sand & Gravel
    Surface metal/non-metal · Spruce Pine Sand & Gravel · MSHA ID 0100616
    Abandoned
  51. Strip
    Surface coal · M C & P Coal Co Inc · MSHA ID 0101372
    Abandoned
  52. Trapp Strip
    Surface coal · Trapp Coal Company · MSHA ID 0101418
    Abandoned
  53. Trapptown No 1
    Surface metal/non-metal · Trapptown Sand Company · MSHA ID 0100604
    Abandoned
  54. Warhurst Pit 8
    Surface coal · Kinlock Coals Inc · MSHA ID 0101923
    Abandoned
  55. Wilson Mine
    Surface coal · Haley Brothers & Partridge Coal Inc · MSHA ID 0102561
    Abandoned
  56. Wood Mine
    Surface coal · Naco Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 0101993
    Abandoned

Status and date are as reported to MSHA by the operator. Each mine's own page carries its accident, citation and inspection record.

By source vocabularythe publishers' own terms
Feature type Features
Open Pit Mine or Quarry 75
Strip Mine 47
Gravel Pit 17
Gravel Pit 15
P3 Spoil Area 13
Quarry 9
P1 Polluted Water: Human Consumption 4
P3 Other 4
P1 Dangerous Highwalls 4
P2 Dangerous Highwalls 3
Open Pit Mine 3
Open Pit Mine or Quarry 2
Adit 2
Open Pit Mine 2
P3 High Wall 2
P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments 1
Tailings - Pond 1
P3 Pits 1
P3 Industrial/Residential Waste 1
P3 Equipment Facility 1
Quarry 1
Other counties in AlabamaAll counties →
How to read these numbers

A USGS feature is a symbol on a historical topographic map, there when the map was surveyed; it may since have been sealed, reclaimed, built over or reopened as a working mine, and the map does not say which. An OSMRE row is a problem the abandoned mine land program tracks, not a mine. An MSHA mine is a registered operation whose operator reported abandonment, a record that starts in the 1970s. The three overlap and are never added together. The county is assigned from each feature's coordinates against the Census 2023 county boundaries. The full method is on the national page.

Sources
  1. USGS, Consolidated Prospect- and Mine-Related Features from 7.5- and 15-Minute Topographic Quadrangle Maps of the United States (USMIN)
    597,612 point and area features digitized from about 106,350 historical topographic maps published 1886–2006; public domain (CC0). A feature is a map symbol, not a field-verified site, and the map does not say whether it was still worked.
  2. USGS Fact Sheet 2025–3003, The Abandoned Mine Inventory of the United States
    States that as of 2025 there is no comprehensive national inventory of abandoned mine features, and that the detailed national database now being built will not be published.
  3. OSMRE, Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System (e-AMLIS), public Problems layer
    One row per abandoned mine land problem in a problem area, with its type, funding program and reclamation status; mostly coal mined before the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Coordinates are the problem area's.
  4. MSHA, Mines dataset (Mine Data Retrieval System)
    Every mine registered with MSHA since the 1970s; a mine reads Abandoned or Abandoned and Sealed when its operator reported that status. Refreshed weekly.
  5. US Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic county boundaries (1:500,000)
    Each feature's county is assigned by its coordinates against these boundaries, not copied from the source file.
  6. GAO-20-238, Abandoned Hardrock Mines (March 2020)
    Federal agencies had identified at least 140,000 abandoned hardrock mine features on federal land and estimated more than 390,000 more not yet captured in their databases.
  7. Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation (AHMR) Program, US Department of the Interior
    The program the USGS inventory is compiled for. Its appropriations and the 674,000 field-confirmed feature count on this page were provided by the program manager, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, and are cited with permission (2026-09-08).
  8. IMCC-NAAMLP Hardrock AML Report
    Page 48 carries the two figures this page leans on: USGS estimates 633,181 of the 725,690 mine features it recorded from historic topographic maps, 87 percent, are hardrock; and state and federal agencies have submitted more than 724,000 AML features to the national database being built, already more than the historic maps hold. Year-by-year AHMR funding is on page 35.