ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION PROGRAM
Utah has a history rich in mining including copper, silver and uranium. Often when mines no longer produced, they were simply abandoned leaving equipment, open shafts, tunnels and piles of waste rock. In 1975, the Utah Mined Reclamation Act was passed making it illegal for mines to be abandoned. Today there are an estimated 17,000 mine openings scattered across Utah.
The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program (AMRP) works to protect the public from dangers of old mines by sealing off access to openings and cleaning up waste. Old mining sites can be intriguing to unsuspecting explorers but can contain dangerous gases, unstable structures and explosives. Stay out and Stay Alive!
For more information about the Utah Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program email amrinfo@utah.gov.
Please note: Our division hours are 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
Utah's Mining Heritage and Tourism Interactive Map
Mining has contributed to Utah’s history for over 150 years. It’s natural to want to visit a mine but old mines are dangerous. They can have many different types of hazards, from unprotected vertical shafts to unstable structures to toxic air. Play it safe: Stay out and stay alive. Furthermore, most mines in Utah are on private property--Don’t trespass. There are many safe and public places you can learn about mining history; the AMRP encourages you to explore them instead.