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Abandoned mines › Colorado
Abandoned mine inventory

Abandoned mines in Delta County, Colorado

Delta County, Colorado has 123 mine and prospect features on USGS topographic maps published 1955–1978, including 36 mine openings (shafts, adits and air shafts) and 31 prospect pits; 25 of the features carry a name on the map. OSMRE's abandoned mine land inventory lists 48 problems in the county, 19 of them not yet reclaimed. MSHA's register carries 38 mines in the county with status Abandoned or Abandoned and Sealed.

Every mine and prospect feature the USGS digitized from historical topographic maps covering Delta 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)
123
Mine openings
36
OSMRE problems unreclaimed
19
MSHA mines marked abandoned
38
25 features carry a name31 prospect pits16 quadrangle maps, published 1955–1978 48 OSMRE problems, 29 reclaimed 4 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
    60 35.1%
  2. Prospect pits and trenches
    shallow exploration diggings that never became a mine
    31 18.1%
  3. Mines and surface workings
    labelled mines, open pits, strip mines, placer and hydraulic workings
    8 4.7%
  4. Quarries, gravel and borrow pits
    construction-material and industrial-mineral extraction
    48 28.1%
  5. Dumps, tailings, spoil and gob
    what mining left above ground
    12 7.0%
  6. Other reclamation problems
    highwalls, subsidence, polluted or clogged water, fires, slides and gases in OSMRE's inventory
    12 7.0%
Named features on the maps25 named · from the USGS compilation
Name on map Feature
Bennett Mine Adit
Black Diamond Mine Adit
Blue Ribbon Mine Adit
Bowie Mine Adit
Burdick Mine Adit
Colby Mine Adit
Converse Mine Adit
Fairview Mine Adit
Farmers Mine Adit
Farmers Mine Adit
Fitzsimons Mines Adit
Green Valley Mine Adit
Independent Mine Adit
Landerth Mine Adit
McGruder Mine Mine Shaft
Morning Star Mine Adit
Newman Mine Adit
Owens Mine Adit
Red Canyon Mine Adit
Rollins Mine Adit
States Mine Adit
Sulphur Mine Open Pit Mine
Tomahawk Mine Adit
Top Mine Adit
Ward Mine Adit

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 problems48 on inventory
Problem area Problem Status
Bennett Mine - 60/10-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Bennett Mine - 60/10-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Black Diamond/colby - 41/13-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Black Diamond/colby - 41/13-01 P3 Mine Opening Reclamation Pending
Burdick/hotchkis/kurtzvl - 64/08-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Co - Delta - Fea P1 Gases: Hazardous/Explosive Reclamation Completed
Davis Mine/colby - 42/13-03 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Davis Mine/colby - 42/13-03 P1 Underground Mine Fires Reclamation Completed
Degraffenried/farmers - 60/10-02 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Degraffenried/farmers - 60/10-02 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Delta - Non-coal-county-wide P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Pending
Delta County - Coal - Co-wide P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Delta County - Coal - Co-wide P3 Mine Opening Reclamation Pending
Fairview Mine - 55/10-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Fairview Mine - 55/10-01 P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Fairview Mine - 55/10-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Fitzsimmons/stucker - 69/08-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Fitzsimmons/stucker - 69/08-01 P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Fitzsimmons/stucker - 69/08-01 P3 Equipment Facility Reclamation Pending
Fitzsimmons/stucker - 69/08-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Green Valley Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Green Valley Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Green Valley Mine - Not In Orig Inv P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Ideal/red Canyon Mines - 43/14-02 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Ideal/red Canyon Mines - 43/14-02 P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Independent No. 1 & 2 - 42/12-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Independent No. 1 & 2 - 42/12-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Jenkins & Lewis/dorrance - 75/09-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Jenkins & Lewis/dorrance - 75/09-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Landerth - Not In Orig Inv P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Mcgruder Mine - 50/12-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Minnesota Creek - Noi P2 Underground Mine Fires Reclamation Pending
Owens Mine - 60/09-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Owens Mine - 60/09-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Ranchers/oak Creek - 56/10-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Ranchers/oak Creek - 56/10-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Subsidence Reclamation Completed
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Surface Burning Reclamation Completed
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Underground Mine Fires In Reclamation
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
States Mine - Not In Orig Inv P2 Underground Mine Fires Reclamation Completed
Top Mine - 44/12-01 P1 Subsidence Reclamation Completed
Top Mine - 44/12-01 P3 Gobs Reclamation Pending
Western/morning Star - 43/14-01 P1 Portals Reclamation Completed
Western/morning Star - 43/14-01 P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Youngs Crk/red Mtn - 44/12-02 P1 Vertical Openings Reclamation Completed
Youngs Crk/red Mtn - 44/12-02 P3 Mine Opening 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 Abandoned38 on register
  1. Alcott Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Southway Const Co Inc & Asphalt Gravel Prod Inc · MSHA ID 0503431
    Abandoned
  2. Austin Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · All American Resources LLC · MSHA ID 0504655
    Abandoned
  3. BENNETT GRAVEL
    Surface metal/non-metal · Bennett'S Gravel · MSHA ID 0504595
    Abandoned
  4. Benson Shale Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Benson Brothers Aggregate · MSHA ID 0504485
    Abandoned
  5. Black Cat Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Black Cat Paving · MSHA ID 0503187
    Abandoned
  6. Blm (Escalante Canyon)
    Surface metal/non-metal · Colorado Department Of Highways · MSHA ID 0503351
    Abandoned
  7. Blue Ribbon
    Underground coal · Blue Ribbon Coal Company · MSHA ID 0503043
    Abandoned and Sealed
  8. Bowie Mine
    Underground coal · Coors Energy Company · MSHA ID 0500239
    Abandoned and Sealed
  9. Bowie No 1
    Underground coal · Bowie Resources Ltd · MSHA ID 0504184
    Abandoned and Sealed
  10. Bowie No 3 Mine
    Underground coal · Bowie Resources Limited · MSHA ID 0504758
    Abandoned
  11. Bowie Resources Unit Train Loading Fac
    Facility coal · Bowie Resources, LLC · MSHA ID 0504789
    Abandoned
  12. BRS&G pit 1 M-2019-018
    Surface metal/non-metal · Best Rock Sand and Gravel LLC · MSHA ID 0505186
    Abandoned
  13. Coalby No 2 Mine
    Underground coal · Grand Mesa Coal Company · MSHA ID 0502579
    Abandoned
  14. Converse Mine
    Underground coal · Colorado Westmoreland Inc · MSHA ID 0502640
    Abandoned
  15. Cyprus Orchard Valley
    Underground coal · Cyprus Orchard Valley Coal Corp · MSHA ID 0502898
    Abandoned
  16. D & J Gravel
    Surface metal/non-metal · D & J Gravel · MSHA ID 0503859
    Abandoned
  17. Delta Coal Crushers
    Facility coal · Delta Coal Crushers · MSHA ID 0503650
    Abandoned
  18. Delta County District #4 Wash Plant
    Surface metal/non-metal · Delta County Commissioners · MSHA ID 0504743
    Abandoned
  19. Delta County Or Delta County Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Delta County · MSHA ID 0503470
    Abandoned
  20. Delta Portable Crushing Plant #1
    Surface metal/non-metal · Delta Sand & Gravel Company · MSHA ID 0504073
    Abandoned
  21. Delta Sand And Gravel Pit 3
    Surface metal/non-metal · Russ Serviss Mining · MSHA ID 0503055
    Abandoned
  22. Enterprise Strip No 1
    Surface coal · Beldon Enterprises Inc · MSHA ID 0500780
    Abandoned
  23. Green Valley No 2
    Underground coal · Mack Paterson Operator · MSHA ID 0500238
    Abandoned
  24. HIGH MESA GRAVEL LLC
    Surface metal/non-metal · High Mesa Gravel Llc · MSHA ID 0504700
    Abandoned
  25. Hotchkiss Plant
    Surface metal/non-metal · Tri County Gravel · MSHA ID 0504587
    Abandoned
  26. Jackson Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Corn Construction Company · MSHA ID 0503940
    Abandoned
  27. Kinne Sand & Gravel
    Surface metal/non-metal · Kinne Sand & Gravel · MSHA ID 0503511
    Abandoned
  28. Lambert Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Bonine Construction · MSHA ID 0502547
    Abandoned
  29. Lemoine Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Delta County Commissioners · MSHA ID 0504015
    Abandoned
  30. Leroux Creek Mine
    Underground coal · Leroux Creek Mining · MSHA ID 0502530
    Abandoned
  31. North Fork Coal Yard
    Surface coal · North Fork Coal Yard · MSHA ID 0502625
    Abandoned
  32. North Fork Sand & Gravel
    Surface metal/non-metal · Coleman Sand & Gravel · MSHA ID 0501017
    Abandoned
  33. Red Canyon #1 Mine
    Underground coal · Grand Mesa Coal Company · MSHA ID 0501962
    Abandoned and Sealed
  34. Red Canyon No 2
    Underground coal · Grand Mesa Coal Company · MSHA ID 0503291
    Abandoned
  35. River Bottom Land Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Farnsworth Construction · MSHA ID 0504100
    Abandoned
  36. Terror Creek Loadout
    Facility coal · Oxbow Mining, LLC · MSHA ID 0503818
    Abandoned
  37. Tomahawk Mine
    Surface coal · Quinn Coal Company · MSHA ID 0503005
    Abandoned
  38. Valley Mesa Pit
    Surface metal/non-metal · Valley Mesa Materials Inc · MSHA ID 0503186
    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
Adit 34
Prospect Pit 31
Gravel Pit 25
Gravel Pit 18
P1 Portals 16
P3 Gobs 12
P1 Vertical Openings 8
Disturbed Surface 6
Gravel/Borrow Pit - Undifferentiated 3
P3 Mine Opening 3
P1 Subsidence 2
P1 Underground Mine Fires 2
P2 Underground Mine Fires 2
Mine Shaft 2
P1 Gases: Hazardous/Explosive 1
P3 Equipment Facility 1
Sand and Gravel Pit 1
Shale Pit 1
P1 Surface Burning 1
Open Pit Mine 1
Open Pit Mine 1
Other counties in ColoradoAll 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.