Open Mine Shaft
County: Cherokee
Date: 1980s
Photographer: Jim McCauley/KGS
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Short description: Trees grow from an open mine shaft in Cherokee County. The discovery of zinc ore near Galena in 1870 marked the beginning of a century of lead and zinc mining in the area. In the early 1980s, studies identified nearly 600 open shafts and collapsed mines in and around the town. In 1994 and 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local citizens filled in the hazards.
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Credit: This photo may be reproduced for non-commercial and educational purposes. When using this photo in a publication, website, or presentation, please credit Kansas Geological Survey. For information about use for commercial purposes, please contact the KGS editor.
