Closing Abandoned Mines
Berger C, Carlsen W, Manson S. 2023. Closing Abandoned Mines. National Park Service, Joshua Tree National Park
The lands that now comprise Joshua Tree National Park have a legacy of mining, for gold and other minerals. That legacy includes 300 abandoned mining sites and 720 mine openings, some of which pose threats to park visitors and wildlife. The park's Abandoned Mineral Lands (AML) Program has worked to make abandoned mine sites safe for more than 20 years. This brief describes the history of AMP and how it works, including some of the methods used to conserve the cultural legacy of mines. Mine shafts and other hazards are sometimes sealed with rock filll, polyurethane foam, or custom "wildlife-friendly enclosures." The latter permit wildlife like bats and desert tortoises, which now sometimes use abandoned mine openings, to come and go while protecting park visitors from hazards like falls.
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Berger, Cynthia; Carlsen, William; Manson, Stacy
- Date of Issue
- 2023-04-19
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Joshua Tree National Park
- Units
- JOTR
- Keywords
- abandoned mines, bats, Joshua Tree National Park, mines, mining, public safety
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Human Use | Cultural Landscapes | Cultural Landscapes , NPS.gov Subject Site: Bats , NPS.gov Subject Site: Mines & Mining