National Mine Waste Inventory

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release is a collaborative geospatial database compiled by the USGS and participating State geological surveys, with support from the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) program. The database represents the first phase of cataloging above-ground mine waste features —such as tailings and waste rock piles— that are remnants of historical and current mining activities across the nation. These features are potential sources of critical minerals and other metallic commodities that may have been discarded or overlooked.

Features in the first version of the database occur in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia. These features are represented as points and polygons with attributes describing location, size, commodity, and mineralogy. The entries and descriptions in the database are derived from publicly available sources compiled by USGS and State geological survey partners.