Abandoned mines in Williamson County, Illinois
Williamson County, Illinois has 124 mine and prospect features on USGS topographic maps published 1961–1996, including 18 mine openings (shafts, adits and air shafts); 8 of the features carry a name on the map. OSMRE's abandoned mine land inventory lists 585 problems in the county, 109 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 Williamson 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)
- 124
- Mine openings
- 18
- OSMRE problems unreclaimed
- 109
- MSHA mines marked abandoned
- 56
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259 36.5%Mine openingsshafts, adits, air shafts, portals and vertical openings: the ways into underground workings
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91 12.8%Mines and surface workingslabelled mines, open pits, strip mines, placer and hydraulic workings
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3 0.4%Quarries, gravel and borrow pitsconstruction-material and industrial-mineral extraction
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117 16.5%Dumps, tailings, spoil and gobwhat mining left above ground
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34 4.8%Mills, tipples and facilitiesprocessing plants and hazardous structures
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204 28.8%Other reclamation problemshighwalls, subsidence, polluted or clogged water, fires, slides and gases in OSMRE's inventory
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1 0.1%Othersymbols outside the classes above
| Name on map | Feature |
|---|---|
| Barbara Kay Mine | Adit |
| Blue Bird Mine No 7 | Mine Shaft |
| Carmac Mine | Mine Shaft |
| Delta Mine | Mine |
| Freeman No 4 Mine | Mine |
| Freeman No 4 Mine | Mine |
| Freeman No 4 Mine | Mine |
| Ziegler No 4 Mine | Mine Shaft |
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.
| Problem area | Problem | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aikman Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Amax Nixville Road Bridge Reclamati | P1 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | In Reclamation |
| B & J New Black Diamond #5 | P1 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| B & J New Black Diamond #5 | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| B & L Coal Company | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| B & L Coal Company | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Baltimore Pit-yates C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Barbara Kay Mine | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Barclay Pit Subsidence | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P3 Pits | Reclamation Completed |
| Basin Cream C.c. | P3 Water Problems | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P3 Slurry | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P3 Slurry | Reclamation Completed |
| Bell And Zoller #3 | P3 Water Problems | Reclamation Completed |
| Beltz C.c. No. 2 | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Beltz C.c. No. 2 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Beltz C.c. No. 2 | P3 Water Problems | Reclamation Completed |
| Biehl Pit Subsidence | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Big Muddy Coal Company | P2 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Pending |
| Big Muddy Coal Company | P3 Spoil Area | Reclamation Pending |
| Black Banner C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Briar #2 | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Briar No.1 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Briar No.1 | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Crystal C.c. | P2 Portals | Reclamation Pending |
| Black Crystal C.c. | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Crystal C.c. #2 | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Black Crystal C.c. #2 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Blaine C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Blaine C.c. | P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | Reclamation Completed |
| Blairsville Mining Co. | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Belle C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Belle C.c. | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P1 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P1 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | In Reclamation |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P3 Gobs | In Reclamation |
| Blue Bird - Turner C.c. | P3 Slurry | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Blaze C.c. | P2 Subsidence | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Ribbon #3 | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Blue Ribbon #3 | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Brewster Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Brown Property Sinkhole | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P3 Pits | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P3 Slurry | Reclamation Completed |
| Buckhorn Mine | P3 Water Problems | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine | P3 Slump | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Brookhouse | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Brookhouse | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hall | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hall | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hall | P2 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hall | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hunter | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Hunter | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Ladd | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Ladd | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Mine - Ladd | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Pending |
| Burr Mine - Ladd | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Burr Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cambria Shafts | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cambria Sunkhole Group | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carbondale Coal and Coke | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Pending |
| Cardinal Lane Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cardinal Lane Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cardinal Lane Pit III | P1 Subsidence | Reclamation Completed |
| Cardinal Lane Pit III | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carter Coal Company | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carter Coal Company | P3 Mine Opening | Reclamation Pending |
| Carter Coal Company | P3 Slump | Reclamation Pending |
| Carter Street Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carter Street Sinkholes | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville Black Diamond No. 3 | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville Black Diamond No. 3 | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville District No.6 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville District No.6 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville District No.6 | P3 Mine Opening | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville District No.6 | P3 Pits | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville ROW Pit | P1 Subsidence | Reclamation Completed |
| Carterville ROW Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cavitt Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Grove Church Pit Subsidence | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Hill C.c. | P1 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Hill C.c. | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Hill C.c. | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Hill C.c. | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cedar Hill C.c. | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Cherry Hill C.c. | P2 Portals | Reclamation Completed |
| Cherry Hill C.c. | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Cherry Hill C.c. | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Cherry Hill C.c. | P3 Other | Reclamation Completed |
| Chi., Wilm. & Franklin A | P1 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Chi., Wilm. & Franklin A | P1 Industrial/Residential Waste | Reclamation Completed |
| Chicago,wilminton | P1 Surface Burning | Reclamation Completed |
| Chicago,wilminton | P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | Reclamation Completed |
| Chicago,wilminton | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Chicago,wilminton | P2 Industrial/Residential Waste | Reclamation Completed |
| Chicago,wilminton | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Childers Pit | Problem type not recorded | In Reclamation |
| Coal Stripping Co. 'scottsboro Mine | P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | Reclamation Completed |
| Consolidated Coal No.8 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Pending |
| Consolidated Coal No.8 | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Pending |
| Consolidated Coal No.8 | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Consolidated Coal No.8 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Consolidated Coal No.8 | P3 Other | Reclamation Completed |
| Consumer C.c. | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cosgrove Meehan #1 | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Cosgrove Meehan C.c. #3 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Cosgrove Meehan C.c. #3 | P2 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard (sm-43) Country Rd 325 | P1 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard (sm-43) Country Rd 325 | P2 Dangerous Highwalls | In Reclamation |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P2 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | Reclamation Pending |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Pending |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P3 High Wall | Reclamation Pending |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P3 Pits | In Reclamation |
| Crab Orchard Sm-15 | P3 Spoil Area | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard/liberty C.c | P3 Bench | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard/liberty C.c | P3 Equipment Facility | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard/liberty C.c | P3 Gobs | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard/liberty C.c | P3 Pits | Reclamation Completed |
| Crab Orchard/liberty C.c | P3 Slurry | Reclamation Completed |
| Crenshaw Crossings | P2 Dangerous Highwalls | Reclamation Pending |
| Crenshaw Crossings | P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | In Reclamation |
| Crenshaw Crossings | P3 High Wall | Reclamation Pending |
| Curry Pit | P1 Vertical Openings | Reclamation Completed |
| Deer Run Sag | P1 Subsidence | Reclamation Completed |
| Deer Run Sag | P1 Subsidence | Reclamation Completed |
…and 435 more problems not listed here.
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.
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Ace Mine No 1Abandoned 1989-01-24Surface coal · Ace Diggin Inc · MSHA ID 1102778
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Barbara Kay MineAbandoned 1980-03-28Underground coal · Barbara Kay Coal Corp · MSHA ID 1100626
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Blue Blaze Prep PlantAbandoned 1978-05-23Facility coal · Southern Illinois Mineral Corp · MSHA ID 1102580
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Blue Flame Coal Co Mine (Culm)Abandoned 1980-07-31Surface coal · Blue Flame Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 1102612
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Brier Creek 1Abandoned 1982-11-09Surface coal · Brier Creek Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 1102776
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Cambria # 1Abandoned 2011-04-01Surface coal · S. Coal Company · MSHA ID 1103092
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Carmac Culm MineAbandoned 1980-11-25Surface coal · Thunderbird Mining & Reclamation Corp · MSHA ID 1102638
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Central ShopAbandoned 1993-12-21Facility coal · Old Ben Coal Company · MSHA ID 1101915
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Coal Carbon Inc #1Abandoned 1996-07-31Facility coal · Triad Engineering Inc · MSHA ID 1102944
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Coal Valley Mining IncAbandoned and Sealed 1993-10-30Underground coal · Coal Valley Mining Inc · MSHA ID 1102857
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Coldwater StripAbandoned 1980-11-25Surface coal · Cold Water Coal Company · MSHA ID 1101783
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Corinth (Strip)Abandoned 1984-10-29Surface coal · E & B Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102715
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Corinth Coal Mine No 1Abandoned 1987-10-09Surface coal · Corinth Coal Company Inc · MSHA ID 1102862
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Cottonwood Dba Tiger #1Abandoned 2005-03-03Surface coal · Cottonwood Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102870
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Crab Orchard Pit And MillAbandoned 1979-10-11Surface metal/non-metal · Crab Orchard Materials · MSHA ID 1102654
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Crenshaw Mine No 1Abandoned 1979-10-01Surface coal · Crenshaw Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102629
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Crenshaw No 1 (Strip)Abandoned 1982-11-09Surface coal · E & B Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102625
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Delta MineAbandoned 2001-04-04Surface coal · Delta Mine Holding Company · MSHA ID 1100625
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E & B Coal CompanyAbandoned 1980-07-31Surface coal · E & B Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102081
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E And B #2Abandoned 1984-10-29Surface coal · E & B Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102568
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Energy Strip MineAbandoned 1980-03-28Surface coal · Forsyth-Energy Inc · MSHA ID 1100632
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Globe Fuel Processing PlantAbandoned 1983-09-16Facility coal · Globe Fuel Inc · MSHA ID 1102643
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Illinois Coal Oil & Gas Co (Coal Mine NoAbandoned 1980-07-31Surface coal · Illinois Coal Oil & Gas Company · MSHA ID 1102682
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Jader No 2 StripAbandoned 1980-11-20Surface coal · Jader Fuel Company Inc · MSHA ID 1102047
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Little Dutchman No 1 SurfaceAbandoned 1979-10-01Underground coal · Roger Moody Material Corp · MSHA ID 1102660
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Lone Star Reclaiming CompanyAbandoned 1979-10-01Underground coal · D L White Company · MSHA ID 1102575
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Malone No 1 Mine (Strip)Abandoned 1981-09-28Surface coal · Donald Malone Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102570
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Marion #2 Slurry PitAbandoned 2010-08-09Surface coal · Mid-Continental Fuels Inc · MSHA ID 1102884
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Mid-Continental Fuels Inc Mine #2Abandoned and Sealed 2017-07-20Facility coal · Mid-Continental Fuels Inc · MSHA ID 1102942
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Mine #1Abandoned 1983-08-01Surface coal · Williamson Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102345
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Mine #2Abandoned and Sealed 2003-07-01Underground coal · Addington Enterprises Inc · MSHA ID 1102621
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Mine #3Abandoned 1991-03-20Surface coal · S Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102909
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Mine No 1Abandoned and Sealed 1979-10-01Underground coal · Harrisburg Coal Company · MSHA ID 1100629
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Morris Mine No 7Abandoned and Sealed 1980-02-11Underground coal · Morris Coal Inc · MSHA ID 1102600
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Morris No 6 MineAbandoned 1978-05-01Underground coal · Classic Coal Corp · MSHA ID 1102637
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No 1 Reclaiming MineAbandoned 1979-10-01Surface coal · Royal Mining Company · MSHA ID 1102559
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No 1 StripAbandoned 1979-10-01Surface coal · Illinois Coal Oil & Gas Company · MSHA ID 1102443
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No 1 Strip MineAbandoned 1976-02-19Surface coal · Western Mining Corp · MSHA ID 1102381
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North Side StripAbandoned 1982-10-01Surface coal · Claude White · MSHA ID 1102558
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Orient #4 MineAbandoned and Sealed 2016-03-23Surface coal · Pittsburgh Energy LLC · MSHA ID 1100628
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Oxford Mine No 2 StripAbandoned 1979-10-01Surface coal · Oxford Constuction Company · MSHA ID 1102543
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Oxford No 4 StripAbandoned 1979-10-01Surface coal · Oxford Constuction Company · MSHA ID 1102607
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Parks Mine #1Abandoned 2005-03-03Surface coal · Parks Coal Company · MSHA ID 1103081
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Peacock Coal Processing PlantAbandoned 1981-08-25Facility coal · Peacock Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102589
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Peacock Mine No 2 StripAbandoned 1980-11-25Surface coal · Peacock Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102675
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Phoenix Mine No 1Abandoned 2005-03-03Surface coal · Phoenix Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 1102908
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Pittsburg CarbonAbandoned 2008-06-16Surface coal · Springfield Coal Company, LLC · MSHA ID 1103161
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Recycle Plant No 1Abandoned 1980-07-31Surface coal · Ideal Energies Inc · MSHA ID 1102623
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Riggs No 2 MineAbandoned 1981-03-23Surface coal · Riggs Mine Company · MSHA ID 1102644
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Thomas MineAbandoned 1981-12-18Surface coal · D D Thomas Company · MSHA ID 1102540
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Thunderbird MineAbandoned 1988-11-25Facility coal · Allied Minerals Inc · MSHA ID 1102850
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Utility Coal CorporationAbandoned 1984-01-01Surface coal · Utility Coal Corp · MSHA ID 1102795
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Weslo - U S MineralsAbandoned 1997-04-01Surface coal · Cottonwood Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102987
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Williamson Coal Company Mine #2Abandoned 1988-05-05Surface coal · Williamson Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102783
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Zeigler #4 UgAbandoned and Sealed 1980-11-14Underground coal · Zeigler Coal Company · MSHA ID 1100627
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Zeigler No 4 Culm BankAbandoned 1988-01-25Facility coal · Old Ben Coal Company · MSHA ID 1102754
Status and date are as reported to MSHA by the operator. Each mine's own page carries its accident, citation and inspection record.
| Feature type | Features |
|---|---|
| P1 Vertical Openings | 121 |
| Strip Mine | 78 |
| P2 Vertical Openings | 71 |
| P3 Gobs | 58 |
| P2 Portals | 36 |
| P2 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | 30 |
| P3 Water Problems | 25 |
| P2 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | 25 |
| P3 Equipment Facility | 24 |
| P2 Dangerous Highwalls | 23 |
| P3 Spoil Area | 20 |
| P3 Pits | 19 |
| P1 Subsidence | 16 |
| P3 Mine Opening | 14 |
| P1 Portals | 13 |
| P3 Other | 12 |
| P3 Haul Road | 10 |
| P3 Slurry | 9 |
| Adit | 9 |
| P2 Clogged Streams | 8 |
| Disturbed Surface | 7 |
| P3 High Wall | 7 |
| Mine Dump | 7 |
| P2 Industrial/Residential Waste | 6 |
| P1 Dangerous Highwalls | 6 |
| P3 Slump | 5 |
| Tailings - Pond | 5 |
| Mine Shaft | 5 |
| P2 Clogged Stream Lands | 5 |
| Mine | 4 |
| P2 Hazardous Water Bodies | 4 |
| P1 Hazardous Equip & Facilities | 4 |
| Air Shaft | 4 |
| P2 Subsidence | 3 |
| P1 Surface Burning | 3 |
| P1 Dangerous Piles & Embankments | 2 |
| Strip Mine | 2 |
| P1 Industrial/Residential Waste | 1 |
| P3 Bench | 1 |
| Problem type not recorded | 1 |
| P1 Dangerous Slides | 1 |
| Quarry | 1 |
| Sand Pit | 1 |
| P2 Surface Burning | 1 |
| Gravel/Borrow Pit - Undifferentiated | 1 |
| P1 Underground Mine Fires | 1 |
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.