Abandoned mine hazards and how the Grand Canyon closes them
Why every mine in Grand Canyon National Park is closed to the public: the hazards, the 1872 law behind them, and how NPS actually shuts one down.
Orphan Mine
Grand Canyon contaminated sites: why none are on the Superfund list
None of Grand Canyon’s mine, landfill, or wastewater sites are on the federal Superfund or Arizona state cleanup lists. Here is who runs the cleanups instead.
Grand Canyon Myths vs. Documented Restricted Sites
A 1909 cave myth meets the park’s actual closure rules for caves, mines, cultural resources and working facilities. What is closed, and why?
The Orphan Mine: Copper Bust, Uranium Boom, Radioactive Fence
An 1893 copper claim on the South Rim became one of the richest uranium mines in the country, then a cleanup the Park Service is still fencing, monitoring, and gluing down today.