Good Friday

 In observance of Good Friday, the Railroad Commission offices will be closed Friday, March 29, 2024. Staff will be on hand to respond to emergencies. Call toll-free at 844-773-0305.

 

Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Projects Gallery

MALAKOFF ABANDONED LIGNITE MINE

Located in Henderson County
Mined prior to 1950

Malakoff BeforeBefore

Project Scope

  • One large 20 feet deep by 125 feet wide slump
  • Four smaller 10-4 feet deep by 38-17 feet wide slumps
  • Located in close proximity to residential areas
  • Eliminate safety hazards posed by slumps which were deep and steep, and were obscured and abrupt when encountered

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • Collapsed unconsolidated materials around openings
  • Backfilled with clay material and compacted
  • Top soil placed over compacted fill
  • Performed operations to re-establish vegetation

Malakoff AfterAfter

Contracted Cost - $59,900
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


STOELTJE ABANDONED URANIUM MINE

Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1976

Stoeltje Before
Before

Project Scope

  • 77 acres
  • 25 acre pit, highwalls (pit walls) average 40 feet in height above water level
  • 3,400 linear feet of highwall
  • Pit water depth 120 feet
  • 52 acres naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil material
  • Spoil ridges up to 65 feet in height

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • Eliminated dangerous highwalls
  • 14% maximum graded slopes
  • Burial of 650,000 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil materials
  • Eliminated the hazardous water body
  • Completed grading with 1,770,734 cubic yards of clean spoil material
  • Reduced maximum gamma radiation levels to 26 mR/hr and average readings of 11 mR/hr  

Stoeltje After
After

Contracted Cost - $5,359,865
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


ADOBE WALLS/TERLINGUA/STUDY BUTTE ABANDONED MINES

Located in Brewster and Presidio Counties
Mined prior to 1974

Adobe Walls Before
Before

Adobe Walls AfterAfter

 

Adobe Walls Before
Before

Project Scope

  • Several main shaft openings and other associated smaller subsidence features
  • Steep, loose spoil piles in proximity to mine shafts
  • Eliminate safety hazards to frequent visitors from nearby off-road trails
  • Repair previous AML closures damaged from weather and vandalism

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • Closed eight openings with on site spoil material
  • Repaired two previous AML closures that had been damaged
  • Installed cable net over Study Butte shaft
  • Filled in several subsidence features adjacent to mine shafts

Adobe Walls After
After

Contracted Cost - $73,542
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


ALCOA AREA F ABANDONED LIGNITE MINE

Located in Milam County
Mined prior to 1963

Alcoa Before
Before

 

Project Scope

  • 122 acres
  • 16 acre pit
  • Pit water depth 50 feet
  • Spoil ridges 73 feet high
  • Within 100 feet of a county road

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • 5 - 14% slopes
  • Pumped 110 million gallons of pit water
  • 1,658,000 cubic yards of earthwork
  • Lime treatment of naturally occurring acidic spoil - 5,870 tons

Alcoa Area F After
After

 

Contracted Cost - $2,560,600
(Does not include cost incurred by Alcoa, Inc. to grade 28 acres of the project area.)
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


WEDDINGTON NORTH ABANDONED URANIUM MINE

Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1976

Weddington North Before
Before

Project Scope

  • 64 acres
  • 20 acre pit, highwalls (pit walls) 30 - 80 feet
  • Pit water depth 45 feet
  • 13.7 acres of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil material

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • 5 - 14% slopes
  • Pumped 42 million gallons of pit water
  • Buried 48,167 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil in pit bottom
  • 302,179 cubic yards of earthwork

Weddington North After
After

Contracted Cost - $1,616,571
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


MABEL NEW-SUPERIOR ABANDONED URANIUM MINE

Located in Live Oak County
Mined prior to 1961

Mabel Before
Before

Mabel During Reclamation
During Reclamation

Mabel After
After

Project Scope

  • 85 acres
  • 3 pits(12.7 acres) – averaging 35 feet deep
  • 11,337 linear feet pit highwalls (pit walls)
  • Multiple spoil piles (72.3 acres) containing naturally occurring radioactive materials

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • 5 – 10% slopes
  • Buried naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil in pit bottom
  • 330,000 cubic yards of earthwork
  • Recipient of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s 2009 Mid-Continent Regional Award for Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation

Contracted Cost - $2,296,131
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.


 

BROWN ABANDONED URANIUM MINE

Located in Karnes County
Mined prior to 1974

Brown Abandoned Mine Before
Before

Project Scope

  • 15 acre pit
  • Pit water depth 65 feet
  • 3,200 linear feet of highwall (pit walls), 73 feet high
  • 33 acres of abandoned spoil
  • Within 200 feet of a county road

Reclamation Accomplishments

  • 14% maximum graded slopes
  • Pumped 110 million gallons of pit water
  • Burial of 500,000 cubic yards of naturally occurring radioactive and acidic spoil materials
  • Completed grading with an additional 1,320,000 cubic yards of clean spoil material

Brown Abandoned Mine After Reclamation

Contracted Cost - $3,930,856
Funded by the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through a production fee levied on active coal mining operations in Texas.



Commissioners