Abandoned Mine Land Legacy Since the early days of the United States, hard rock miners have dug tens of thousands of underground prospects and mines seeking their fortune. Many of these prospects and mines were immediately abandoned when insufficient ore was found. Others were abandoned later when continued mining became unprofitable. With the issuance of Production Board Order L-208, all mining development was impacted. This order, which targeted and stopped all gold mining during War World II, was responsible for the abandonment of many other hard rock mines. The cyclical nature of the mining industry, historically and today, continues this pattern of mine abandonment and/or inactivity. The overall result is that there are tens of thousands of abandoned and inactive prospect holes and mine sites throughout most of the United States. The majority of these abandoned mine sites have health and environmental hazards and usually contain severe physical safety hazards, such as open mine shafts, unstable mine adits, mine cuts and trenches and dilapidated mill buildings. These sites often have the potential to contaminate surface water, groundwater or air quality, due to remnant tailings, mine waste piles or other materials containing metal or associated contaminants. In addition to accidental falls, abandoned or inactive underground mines pose other dangers such as the lack of oxygen, poisonous gases, hidden winzes, unstable rock and timbers, etc. Isolated abandoned mine sites are being used as illegal clandestine drug labs and are more frequently booby-trapped with explosives or other lethal devices to ward off unsuspecting visitors. Some abandoned mines have been found being used as hiding places for illegal aliens or drug runners. Hidden mine openings have the potential of becoming staging areas for terrorist activities. As cities and towns expand and the American public seeks to recreate away from large congested areas, these abandoned mine sites become more accessible to public land users. The results are that every year more and more people are seriously hurt or killed by falling into abandoned mine openings. For several years now, federal government agencies, private mining companies and individuals have been subjected to lawsuits due to the liability associated with injured or killed public land users. Efforts to reduce liability claims have centered on preventing fall or entry into these dangerous earth openings through the use of earthen and rock backfill, concrete, steel grates, timber and concrete plugs, woven cable nets, bar wire fences and warning signs. Although the practical lifespan of polyurethane foam (PUF) is not known, this product has been around for years in the mining industry where it is used underground in ventilation walls, as a sealing grout and a stem plug in air deck blasting. For several decades now, PUF has been utilized in mine closure work due to its relative ease of application, portability and strength. PUF is essentially a structural plastic material that transforms from a liquid to a solid (rigid foam) in a matter of minutes. This rapidly applied method is a proven, cost-effective option to other closure methods previously mentioned. PUF is most beneficial for those abandoned mine sites that are remote, involve protected underground areas or archaeological sites, do not have adequate backfill materials available on-site, have restrictions on access or disturbance and on sites that do not permanently impact wildlife habitat, i.e. bats. [ Home | History | Products | Services | PUF-Seal® | About Us | Contact Us | Clients | Projects ]