By Sangamon Sun |
Sep 27, 2024
Illinois is home to thousands of abandoned mines, which pose significant concerns for modern development. Over the past 150 years, more than 6,000 coal mines operated in the state, leaving behind a legacy of poorly mapped sites that create potential hazards for homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Alarmingly, only about half of these historic mines have accurate, accessible maps today. The incomplete records leave vast swaths of Illinois vulnerable to issues such as mine subsidence, where the ground above old mines can suddenly collapse, leading to severe damage to...