SALT LAKE CITY-- For more than 100 years, abandoned mine shafts have gaped open in he hills and mountains of Utah, waiting to swallow up anyone careless or curious enough to get too close. The promise of adventure is difficult to ignore.

"The list includes unstable roofs, rotting timbers, dead or poisonous air, deep shafts, old explosives and many other hazards. It's a tragedy waiting to happen."

Since the early 1980s, that search for adventure has killed 10 Utahns and injured two dozen more. Some would argue the number of deaths and injuries are small compared to many other forms of recreation."

"We have no way of knowing just how many people explore old mines," said Malin. "I would say considerably more people engage in other activities. But that doesn't matter if you happen to be the victim, or family member of a victim."

Utah has a rich mining heritage with a legacy of an estimated 17,000 abandoned mines. The Abandoned Mine Program seeks to identify those mines that pose the greatest risk and close them to human access.

Such closures range from simply backfilling a hole to erecting steel-bar grates that keep people out but allow bats continued access to important

habitat.

Engineers work with archeologists and biologists and follow a recognized process of evaluating old mine sites and holding public meetings prior to commencing any work. The process ensures cultural and historical significance is maintained and wildlife issues are addressed. Most importantly, no mine is closed without the landowner's permission.

"That's an issue that is often overlooked by those who want to venture into old mines," said Malin. "There is a significant liability risk for the landowner on which an old mine sits. Exploring an old mine often means you are trespassing, yet that does not protect the landowner from the possibility of a multi-million dollar lawsuit."

Enjoy Utah's mining heritage, but do it at a distance. When it comes to abandoned mines, stay out, stay alive.