Water, Waste & Pollution
Abandoned mine land
Land and water degraded by past mining where no responsible party remains to clean it up, posing safety and pollution hazards that typically require publicly funded reclamation.
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In United States usage, land, water and surrounding areas affected by coal mining carried out before the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977, for which no individual or company bears legal responsibility for reclamation. OSMRE defines an abandoned mine as one where the reclamation bond has been released or forfeited, or where no mining has occurred for five years or more.
References
Definition of "abandoned mine" (bond released/forfeited or no operations for five years); Abandoned Mine Land Inventory description.
SMCRA Title IV; AML Reclamation Fund figures (USD 14.233bn collected, USD 6.569bn granted, as of 30 Sep 2025); population living near abandoned mines.
Pre-1977 eligibility; Priority 1–3 ranking definitions; fee-funded programme mechanics.
State-level eligibility cut-off (pre-15 December 1981); hazard list including acid mine drainage.
Overview
What it means
Typical hazards include dangerous highwalls, open portals, subsidence, landslides, stream sedimentation, loss of water supplies and acid mine drainage. Sites are recorded in the national Abandoned Mine Land Inventory (e-AMLIS) and ranked Priority 1–3, with threats to public health and safety addressed first.
How it is used
SMCRA Title IV created the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program, funded by a fee on each tonne of coal produced. As of 30 September 2025 the fund had collected USD 14. 233 billion, with USD 6. 569 billion distributed in grants to state and tribal reclamation programmes. Eligibility rules vary; Virginia, for example, requires sites to have been mined before 15 December 1981 with no other responsible party.
Why it matters
OSMRE estimates millions of Americans live within a mile of an abandoned coal mine. Legacy sites impose ongoing environmental and safety costs on communities, and reclamation can return land to productive uses. The concept is central to debates about a just transition in coal regions.
Definitions and controversy
"Abandoned mine land" is primarily a US statutory term; other jurisdictions use "legacy mines", "orphaned" or "derelict" sites, with different liability and funding arrangements.
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