Abandoned Underground Mines
Interactive Mapping Launch Page
Background of this program
Ohio has a history of mining underground that dates to 1800 (pre-Statehood). Commodities mined underground have included coal, clay, limestone, gypsum, conglomerate, and, in one unusual instance, even sand and gravel. While underground mining has occurred across the state, the vast majority of underground mining has occurred in the coal and clay producing regions of eastern Ohio. The heyday of underground mining activity occurred in the late 1800's/early 1900's when more than 1,110 underground mines were in operation and more than 50,000 Ohioans were employed in underground mining operations.
An unfortunate consequence of more than two-hundred years of mining underground is mine subsidence-a geologic hazard that can strike with little or no warning and can result in very costly property damage (see: Mine Subsidence; GeoFacts No.12);
Subsidence, in the context of underground mining, is the lowering of the Earth's surface due to collapse of bedrock and unconsolidated materials (sand, gravel, silt, and clay) into underground mined voids. Mine subsidence can damage the foundations of homes, buildings and roads; disrupt underground utilities, and can be a potential risk to human life.
When buildings are constructed above mines, major damage to walls and foundations can occur if the mine subsides. Download the AML Development Guide (2.89 Megabyte PDF) for more information.
  
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DISCLAIMER
The information presented herein for oil and gas fields and wells in Ohio has been obtained primarily from well card records on file with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey. Additional data for more recent wells (since 2001) is obtained from the Division of Mineral Resources Management.
While the information presented herein is periodically updated as new information becomes available, the Division of Geological Survey estimates that there may be as many as 40,000 wells in Ohio for which the Division has no identified/located record. Neither the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, nor any division thereof, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this product. Any use thereof for a purpose other than for which said information or product was intended shall be solely at the risk of the user.
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