Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Projects Gallery
MALAKOFF ABANDONED LIGNITE MINE
Located in Henderson County
Mined prior to 1950
Before
Project Scope
- One large 20 feet deep by 125 feet wide slump
- Four smaller 10-4 feet deep by 38-17 feet wide slumps
- Located in close proximity to residential areas
- Eliminate safety hazards posed by slumps which were deep and steep, and were obscured and abrupt when encountered
Reclamation Accomplishments
- Collapsed unconsolidated materials around openings
- Backfilled with clay material and compacted
- Top soil placed over compacted fill
- Performed operations to re-establish vegetation
After
Contracted Cost - $59,900
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
STOELTJE ABANDONED URANIUM MINE
Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1976
Before
Project Scope
- 77 acres
- 25 acre pit, highwalls (pit walls) average 40 feet in height above water level
- 3,400 linear feet of highwall
- Pit water depth 120 feet
- 52 acres naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil material
- Spoil ridges up to 65 feet in height
Reclamation Accomplishments
- Eliminated dangerous highwalls
- 14% maximum graded slopes
- Burial of 650,000 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil materials
- Eliminated the hazardous water body
- Completed grading with 1,770,734 cubic yards of clean spoil material
- Reduced maximum gamma radiation levels to 26 mR/hr and average readings of 11 mR/hr
After
Contracted Cost - $5,359,865
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
ADOBE WALLS/TERLINGUA/STUDY BUTTE ABANDONED MINES
Located in Brewster and Presidio Counties
Mined prior to 1974
Before
After
Before
Project Scope
- Several main shaft openings and other associated smaller subsidence features
- Steep, loose spoil piles in proximity to mine shafts
- Eliminate safety hazards to frequent visitors from nearby off-road trails
- Repair previous AML closures damaged from weather and vandalism
Reclamation Accomplishments
- Closed eight openings with on site spoil material
- Repaired two previous AML closures that had been damaged
- Installed cable net over Study Butte shaft
- Filled in several subsidence features adjacent to mine shafts
After
Contracted Cost - $73,542
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
ALCOA AREA F ABANDONED LIGNITE MINE
Located in Milam County
Mined prior to 1963
Before
Project Scope
- 122 acres
- 16 acre pit
- Pit water depth 50 feet
- Spoil ridges 73 feet high
- Within 100 feet of a county road
Reclamation Accomplishments
- 5 - 14% slopes
- Pumped 110 million gallons of pit water
- 1,658,000 cubic yards of earthwork
- Lime treatment of naturally occurring acidic spoil - 5,870 tons
After
Contracted Cost - $2,560,600
(Does not include cost incurred by Alcoa, Inc. to grade 28 acres of the project area.)
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
WEDDINGTON NORTH ABANDONED URANIUM MINE
Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1976
Before
Project Scope
- 64 acres
- 20 acre pit, highwalls (pit walls) 30 - 80 feet
- Pit water depth 45 feet
- 13.7 acres of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil material
Reclamation Accomplishments
- 5 - 14% slopes
- Pumped 42 million gallons of pit water
- Buried 48,167 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil in pit bottom
- 302,179 cubic yards of earthwork
After
Contracted Cost - $1,616,571
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
MABEL NEW-SUPERIOR ABANDONED URANIUM MINE
Located in Live Oak County
Mined prior to 1961
Before
During Reclamation
After
Project Scope
- 85 acres
- 3 pits(12.7 acres) – averaging 35 feet deep
- 11,337 linear feet pit highwalls (pit walls)
- Multiple spoil piles (72.3 acres) containing naturally occurring radioactive materials
Reclamation Accomplishments
- 5 – 10% slopes
- Buried naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil in pit bottom
- 330,000 cubic yards of earthwork
- Recipient of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s 2009 Mid-Continent Regional Award for Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation
Contracted Cost - $2,296,131
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
BROWN ABANDONED URANIUM MINE
Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1974
Before
Project Scope
- 15 acre pit
- Pit water depth 65 feet
- 3,200 linear feet of highwall (pit walls), 73 feet high
- 33 acres of abandoned spoil
- Within 200 feet of a county road
Reclamation Accomplishments
- 14% maximum graded slopes
- Pumped 110 million gallons of pit water
- Burial of 500,000 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil materials
- Completed grading with an additional 1,320,000 cubic yards of clean spoil material
Contracted Cost - $3,930,856
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.
