The Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining’s Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program has completed work on two projects, closing 151 dangerous mine openings.
The blue Notch-White Canyon project closed 10 openings in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Temple Mountain project sealed 141 sites in the San Rafael Swell.
Temple Mountain is a popular recreation area and abandoned mines often attracted unwary adventurers. During construction work ATV tracks were noticed inside several of the mines. Explosives were also found, requiring an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to dispose of them.
The Temple Mountain project used a variety of techniques to close the openings, included the use of polyurethane foam that allows for closing a vertical shaft without altering its historic appearance.
Other mine openings were backfilled, sealed with concrete block walls, or rebar grates. Bat grates were installed on five mines that allow bats to continue to use them as habitat.
Work on the Temple Mountain project began last March and concluded May 18 and cost just over $176,000.
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