A comparative study of abandoned mine land initiatives

This thesis examines how safety hazards of abandoned mine lands (AML) are being managed by federal agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The study compares previously conducted environmentally led AML initiatives in several states and the archaeological fieldwork conducted in the Fairbanks mining district. The comparison reveals that there are both inconsistencies and consistencies between environmentally led and archaeologically led field survey initiatives. Environmentally led field survey initiatives record safety hazards differently from archaeologically led field survey initiatives or neglect to record safety hazards all together. Considerations of the effects of remediation of AML on cultural resources are also undertaken differently by environmentally led survey initiatives.;Case studies 1 Alaska and 5 Utah were consistent in the type of information and methodology for recording specific features that were considered safety hazards. Despite similarities across studies, none are comparable or quantifiable because no two surveys are conducted alike.