Legacy Mine Lands
Legacy mine lands and tailings
Cinnabar Mine, Idaho
Mining pit lake resulting from open pit mining operation
Pit Lake, Idaho
Phosphate Mine Tailing Pile
Southern Coastal Plain in Florida
Acidic and metal-rich drainage
Gold King mine release, Cement Creek near Silverton, CO
Legacy mine lands (also called abandoned mine lands) are areas adjacent to or affected by areas where mining activity has ceased. USGS scientists work to better understand the impacts of solid waste and resulting acidic drainage on surrounding watersheds and ecosystems.
Abandoned or legacy mine lands are areas adjacent to or affected by abandoned mines. These areas often contain unmined mineral deposits, mine dumps (the ore and rock removed to get to the ore deposits), and tailings (the material left over from the ore processing) that may contaminate the surrounding watershed and ecosystem. For example, streams near abandoned mine lands can contain metals and (or) be so acidic that fish and aquatic insects cannot live in them.
USGS Research on Abandoned Mine Lands
USGS scientists study abandoned mine lands to better understand impacts of mineral resource activities. Since many legacy mine lands have been sitting for over a hundred years, these sites provide a view of how solid wastes react to weathering and are still producing acidic drainage with high levels of metals and other contaminants. USGS provides scientific data and understanding of environmental transport, fate, and exposure pathways of contaminants that are found in mine waste and drainage.
USGS Research on Legacy Mine Environmental Impacts
Legacy mine lands (also called abandoned mine lands) are areas adjacent to or affected by areas where mining activity has ceased. USGS scientists work to better understand the impacts of solid waste and resulting acidic drainage on surrounding watersheds and ecosystems.
Abandoned or legacy mine lands are areas adjacent to or affected by abandoned mines. These areas often contain unmined mineral deposits, mine dumps (the ore and rock removed to get to the ore deposits), and tailings (the material left over from the ore processing) that may contaminate the surrounding watershed and ecosystem. For example, streams near abandoned mine lands can contain metals and (or) be so acidic that fish and aquatic insects cannot live in them.
USGS Research on Abandoned Mine Lands
USGS scientists study abandoned mine lands to better understand impacts of mineral resource activities. Since many legacy mine lands have been sitting for over a hundred years, these sites provide a view of how solid wastes react to weathering and are still producing acidic drainage with high levels of metals and other contaminants. USGS provides scientific data and understanding of environmental transport, fate, and exposure pathways of contaminants that are found in mine waste and drainage.
USGS Research on Legacy Mine Environmental Impacts