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Show A11 Castle Valley Review, April 2009 An unnamed mine in the San Rafael Knob area. Closing the Mines The Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil, Gas and Mining held an open house at the Museum of the San Rafael recently to hear comments on the proposal to close 173 abandoned mines throughout the San Rafael Swell. Turnout wasn’t huge at the open house, but sometimes it was vocal as visitors voiced their concern about closing areas that many consider to be of historic significance. Anthony Gallegos of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program said that the study underway now is part of a process that will result in the writing on an environmental assessment on the possibility of closing the abandoned mines. The public comment period for the assessment ends April 7. If it is decided that all of the mines are to be closed, he said that there are no plans to remove any historical artifacts around the mines, they job is only to close the portal and make them safe. According to Gallegos an inventory has already been done of the 173 mines. Part of the inventory is a review of the cultural and historical significance of the mine and whether it is eligible for protection to be placed on the natural and historical registry. Most of the mines in question are old uranium mines and part of the inventory included the taking of radiation readings. If a decision is made to close all of the mines the process would take approximately 13 weeks to complete. An unnamed mine in the Tomsich Butte area A shaft leads into the gloom at the Copper Globe Mine. |