State of California

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Mineral Resources Management Division — Program and Project Updates

November 2003
Abandoned Mine Remediation Partnership

The California State Lands Commission (Commission) has partnered with the California Department of Conservation (DOC) Office of Mine Reclamation to remediate abandoned mine hazards on State School Lands in the California desert. The Scouts Cove Opal Mine near Barstow and the Pacific Fluorite Mine near Baker were initially chosen as they both presented potential hazards to the public and wildlife due to open shafts. Efforts were coordinated with the California Department of Fish and Game and the State Office of Historic Preservation to ensure that the mine closures did not significantly impact wildlife or historic resources, and the Commission found the projects to be exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act. Surveys showed that the Pacific Fluorite Mine may provide significant habitat for two bat species. Consequently, the closure selected is compatible for bats to enter and exit (per Bat Conservation International standards) while humans are excluded for their own safety and that of the bats. The Scouts Cove Mine was closed with expansive foam and covered with soil and rock such that its existence is now difficult to detect. The closure work was conducted in April and May of 2003 by Frontier Environmental Solutions. DOC and CSLC staffs plan to meet in the field in December to inventory certain abandoned mines in San Bernardino and Imperial County for possible closure later this fiscal year. For further information please contact Greg Pelka of the Mineral Resources Management Division at (562) 590-5227 or Douglas Craig of the Department of Conservation at (916) 445-6288.

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