California's Abandoned Mines: The Golden State's Environmental Legacy. Since the days of the gold rush of 1849, California's mountains, valleys and deserts have been a source of precious metals and other minerals. California's complex and diverse geology produces more than 700 mineral commodities, making California one of the nation's ...
In California, you have likely passed within a few miles of legacy abandoned mines. These mines are present in all 58 counties on federal lands (~64% statewide), privately owned lands (~32%), and lands owned or managed by state agencies and local governments (~4%).
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States hosts anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 abandoned mines, while third party reports from the early 1990's compiled from state-by-state data put the number at over 557,000.
Since the discovery of gold in 1848, California has been plagued with the issue of abandoned mines. It is estimated that California has approximately 47,000 AML sites. Of that, 31,490 are located on Federal land.
DOC Maps: Mines and Mineral Resources. The California Department of Conservation's Division of Mine Reclamation (DMR) compiles data on the current status of mines and the commodities produced.
These Maps Lay Out Exactly Where to Find California's Gold. Guides for prospectors, circa 1848. January 24, 1848, was a big day for James W. Marshall, who found gold at Sutter's Mill (about...
Map of California Historic Gold Mines, 1998. Title. Map of California Historic Gold Mines, 1998. Author. Les Youngs, California Geological Survey (California Department of Conservation) Created Date.
Map produced by the Department of Conservation Abandoned Mine Lands Program (AMLP), July 2015 POTENTIAL, INVENTORIED AND REMEDIATED MINE FEATURE LOCATIONS CALIFORNIA ABANDONED MINES * Bas ed onU SG 7.5 miu t pgrc lsy b ^__ Physical H az r dR em it ons*! U SG M ap ed in F tur s* * Remediations are AMLP data only.
The Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program addresses physical safety and environmental hazards associated with abandoned hard rock mines on BLM-managed public lands.
