In September of 2007, an all night search ended tragically Sunday morning mear Chloride, a small town in northwest Arizona, after two girls, one 13-year-old and one 10-year-old,  fell into an abandoned mine shaft.  The girls were riding an ATV early Saturday evening when they plunged into the 125-foot-deep mine shaft. One girl was found dead in the shaft and her younger sister survived.

In January of 2008, a 19-year-old young man died after falling into an abandoned mine shaft.  His death marks the second deadly accident at an abandoned mine shaft in Arizona in the past five months.

The primary concern of the Arizona State Mine Inspector is to the State's citizens, tourists, hunters, hikers, rockhounds, campers, off highway vehicle activities (OHW) and others who will explore the state of  Arizona.  The Arizona State Mine Inspector is not only prompted by the recent death and injuries which have occurred, but also by those in the past.  The Arizona State Mine Inspector believes that if the life threatening problems are not addressed, there will in fact be inciidents of more innocent persons being killed or injured in abandoned mine shafts, and injuries and deaths will increase at an alarming rate.  Our cities and towns have and will continue to spread out, encroaching upon old mining properties.

"The dangerous shafts and protals of yesterdays' mines are now literally in our back yards". 

In response to the increasing number of deaths by non-employees at both active and abandoned mines, the Arizona State Mine Inspector's Office (ASMI) and the National Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) have declared the week of Earth Day, April 16-22, as Mine Safety Awareness Week. The week is designed to raise awareness among children and adults that mines are not a place to play. The theme for the week is when it comes to mines Stay Out, Stay Alive!

Here is a map of mine sites in Arizona

To reinforce the theme the ASMI and MSHA have created the Abandoned Mine Safety Pack. These free packs are available by calling ASMI at 602-542-5971 or emailing the address below.

What's in the Abandoned Mine Safety Pack?

• MSHA Mine Safety Posters (3)

• ASMI Coloring Book
   
• ASMI Mine Safety Pamphlets (2)
   
• MSHA Mine Safety Pamphlet
   
• MSHA Mine Safety Bookmark
   
• MSHA Mine Safety sticker
   
• ASMI Abandoned Mine Safety 
    

Request one today by emailing abandonedmines@asmi.az.gov. Be sure to include your name and address. If you are a teacher, please include the grade level you teach.