Abandoned Underground Mines

One of the most hazardous situations that people can be exposed to, and never know about, is the presence of abandoned underground mining. The State of Arizona has the most abandoned underground mines in the United States. Missouri has some, too. Actually, we have quite a few underground mines. The City of Kansas City has more underground space than any city in the United States. Notice here that I didn't say 'abandoned". The ones in Kansas City are still useful - they have been converted to underground storage and businesses. The LARGEST one is one owned by Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. Called "Subterra" , it's the equivalent in space of sixteen Arrowhead Stadiums. For those of you who don't know, Arrowhead Stadium is where the Chiefs play.

But back to the abandoned ones....dangerous. In coal mining areas, they're VERY dangerous. I would never go in one of those. But last week, I had the opportunity to enter an abandoned underground limestone mine in the St. Louis area near O'Fallon, Missouri. Why?

The whole point is a phrase which I'll repeat over and over for the rest of my life - "geology in the public interest". It was the right thing to do. There was something drawing me to my day with destiny. Scientific curiosity is one thing, but flirting with danger is not my forte. I had to make sure that it was SAFE enough to where there was only a REASONABLE RISK to me. What is life, and living it, but taking risk and reaping the rewards? There were no monetary rewards other than my normal paycheck at the end of the week, but there was a distinct satisfaction in BEING THERE, where no one else had been in 40 years.

The mine, it was alleged by one individual, was underneath Interstate 70. In Missouri, that's a MAJOR east-west route, with over 75,000 vehicles per day using it, including heavyweight trucks. If it were under the Interstate, it was possible after 40 years that a catastrophic collapse could occur. Lives and property could be at stake. So, I was called by the Deputy Chief of the O'Fallon Fire Department, to be the geologist that would determine if safe entry could be made, to determine once and for all time whether or not the mines went under I-70.

What do you do? You're breaking the initial safety rule with abandoned underground mines, of "NEVER ENTER!" You attempt to make it as safe as you can, and come up with rules and procedures to protect yourself once you're inside. What could be dangerous to us? I came up with a list:

1. Toxic gases like sulfur dioxide or sulfur trioxide
2. Asphyxiation from carbon monoxide or confined space conditions
3. Critters like poisonous snakes
4. Explosive gases, such as methane
5. Rockfall - like "widowmakers" from above that could crush you in an instant
6. Potential hidden water-filled shafts or air ducts
7. Hazardous waste dumps

Any of the above can KILL you. I sort of discount #3 in the wintertime on snakes, but larger critters? How about a skunk? That's another type of hazard altogether, and it sticks with you. Bats carry rabies....that's no fun. Bird droppings from nesting pigeons or swallows are a potential hazard. So critters....not to be discounted. Hard hats, steel-toed boots, safety glasses. We had to be READY.

But we went ahead anyway, and on Thursday, Dec.1 we entered the mine. We had an explosive/toxic/ problem gas detector, set at the lowest limits. We carried poles of 1"by 2" lumber, to poke whereever we stepped. If we encountered hazardous waste or gas problems, we would exit. The mine made it back 225 feet, ending a mere 75 feet from the highway right of way only 40 feet above us in elevation. The main gallery was several thousand feet long, and paralleled the highway. We walked out all of it, "checking the four corners", before we re-emerged into the sunlight. Job over. No mine shafts determined to be under I-70.

It was anticlimactic. The job was done, but I went to bed early that evening. I was satisfied. I had MADE A DIFFERENCE that day.

Until next time,

Trenchless Geologist