State Programs

State AML Programs and Inventories

Abandoned mines degrade water quality and cause significant concerns to fish, wildlife, and human health in every western state. Unfortunately, most western states lack a consistent funding source to deal with these threats. Despite the difficult funding situation, a few states have completed inventories of the abandoned mines under their jurisdiction. For more information about abandoned mines in your state, check the list below for the relevant state authority, their website address, and the state abandoned mine inventory, if any.

• Arizona - Mine Inspector’s Office, Abandoned Mines Division
  http://www.asmi.state.az.us/ [1]
• California – Department of Conservation, Office of Mine Reclamation
  http://www.consrv.ca.gov/OMR [2] 

  Report - California’s Abandoned Mines: A Report on the Scope and Magnitude in the State
  http://www.consrv.ca.gov/OMR/abandoned_mine_lands/california_abandoned_mines/index.htm [3]

• Colorado – Division of Minerals and Geology
  http://www.mining.state.co.us/ [4] 

  Report - Colorado Mining Water Quality Task Force Report and Recommendations Regarding Water Quality Impacts from Abandoned or Inactive Mined Lands
  http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/wqcc/Other/Misc/MWQTFreportword.PDF [5]

• Idaho – Department of Lands
  http://www2.state.id.us/lands/bureau/Minerals/abandoned_mine/abl_index.htm [6]
• Montana – Department of Environmental Quality, Mine Waste Cleanup Bureau
  http://www.deq.state.mt.us/AbandonedMines/Index.asp [7]

   Report - Montana: Bringing the Land Back to Life
  http://www.deq.state.mt.us/abandonedmines/download.asp [8]

• Nevada – Nevada Division of Minerals
  http://minerals.state.nv.us [9]

   Report- Nevada Abandoned Mine Lands Report 2003
  http://www.minerals.state.nv.us/forms/aml/amlreport2003.pdf [10]

• New Mexico – New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division, Abandoned Mine Land Bureau
  http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/Mining/aml/default.htm [11]
• Oregon – Department of Minerals and Geology Industries
  http://sarvis.dogami.state.or.us/mlr/mlrhome.htm [12]
• Utah – Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining
  http://ogm.utah.gov/amr/default.htm [13]
• Washington – Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Division of Geology and Earth Resources
  http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/minerecl.htm [14]
• Wyoming – Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division
   http://deq.state.wy.us/lqd/index.asp?pageid=9 [15]