Published: February 20, 2026 |

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Arizona’s public universities are revolutionizing how the state manages abandoned mine risks with innovative new tools. These developments are providing state environmental officials with unprecedented clarity and insight, enhancing efforts to protect public health and the environment.

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) funded this tri-university collaboration through a Regents’ Grant. Researchers from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona have developed software tools for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). These tools are designed to locate abandoned mines, assess hazards, and prioritize remediation resources, according to the Arizona Board of Regents.

“By working together, our public universities are giving the state better information to support broad environmental planning and tools to protect water, land, and wildlife,” ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear said.

Arizona’s rich mineral history has left a legacy of tens of thousands of abandoned sites, many undocumented, complicating state efforts to evaluate risks. The collaboration aims to create a comprehensive picture of these risks with a centralized database and map-based risk assessment tool, integrating data on population, wildlife, and terrain.

“This partnership is an important and critical step in developing smarter tools to gain a clearer understanding of where abandoned mines are and what they could mean for the people who live nearby,” ADEQ Director Karen Peters said.

The tools also hold potential for broader applications, such as assessing other natural and human-caused hazards and supporting future infrastructure planning.

The Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) supports the Regents’ Grants, bringing together university researchers and state agencies to address critical challenges for Arizonans.

The research team includes contributors from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona, featuring principal investigators, co-principal investigators, doctoral students, and research scientists from each institution.

Source: KVOA

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