Impacts of abandoned mine workings on aspects of urban development

Man-made 'geohazards'-which can take the form of undermining, mine entrance s, fault reactivation, mine-water rise, disposed wastes, derelict and conta minated land and subsurface civil engineering activities-are widely distrib uted in the United Kingdom, which has a history of mining activity dating b ack more than 3000 years. Many urban environments are located in regions wh ere mining has occurred and abandonment has left a legacy of old workings a nd mine entries, many of which may still be uncharted and can be hazardous to development. The many aspects of mining and other human activity that gi ve rise to potential geohazards are reviewed. Site investigation techniques appropriate to mining areas are discussed, with particular emphasis on rap id non-destructive (geophysical) survey methods. Geohazards that result fro m human activity can also have a considerable impact on urban areas when ma nifested after completion of a building or construction project. In an extr eme case these hazards can result in both injuries to local residents and d amage to property. More common, however, are a loss of property value and t he creation of 'blight' when the presence of abandoned mine workings is ide ntified. Some aspects of the current situation with regard to devaluation o f properties as a result of the availability of information on abandoned mi ning activities are discussed.