Today all mining operations must be reclaimed when work is completed. Miners are expected to return the land to a condition similar to before the mining was done – or in an alternative condition specified in their approved mining permit.

To assure that reclamation is done, the mining company must post a performance bond. The bond money is used to reclaim the land if the mining company goes bankrupt or fails to reclaim the land as required. Sometimes there is not enough bond money to complete the reclamation work, and that work goes undone.

Many abandoned mines were closed long before permitting and bonds were required. The responsibility to reclaim these mines can fall to the current property owner or to the government. Reclamation is expensive, so many of these jobs have not been completed.