CMIS IMS - The Indiana Coal Mine Information System's Internet Map Server Web Page INTERACTIVE MAP

PURPOSE BACKGROUND INDIANA COAL MINE MAPS DISCLAIMER SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS CONTACT INFORMATION HELP

PURPOSE

This Web site was created to provide online access to maps showing locations of coal mines in Indiana. Funding for this page is provided through a cooperative agreement between the Indiana Geological Survey and the Abandoned Mine Lands program of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation. Please read the accompanying disclaimer before using the interactive maps function.

BACKGROUND

All of Indiana's coal occurs in the west-central and southwestern portion of the state in a large geologic structure known as the Illinois Basin. Illinois Basin coal originated from plant material that accumulated in tropical wetlands during the Pennsylvanian Period of geologic time (approximately 300 million years ago).

For more than 150 years, the coal region of west-central and southwestern Indiana has undergone widespread mining. Underground (deep) mining was the dominant mining technique until the 1950s when the development of large-scale excavation and transportation equipment made surface (strip) mining more efficient. Most of Indiana's underground mines used a method called room-and-pillar mining, whereby 20 to 50 percent of the coal is left in the mine to support the overlying rock. In instances where the remaining coal pillars are insufficient to bear the weight of the overlying rock, subsidence of the mine roof will occur. Subsidence may occur decades or centuries after an underground mine is abandoned. All undermined areas are at risk of subsidence, but it is not possible to predict when, if ever, subsidence will occur at a given locality. For more information about mine subsidence in Indiana, see Indiana Geological Survey Special Report 27.

INDIANA COAL MINE MAPS

The associated Internet Map Server (IMS) Web site allows users to create maps showing the locations of surface and underground coal mines in Indiana. In addition to coal mines, maps also show underground mine entrances and documented subsidence areas. Maps can be viewed and printed at a variety of scales. Tools are provided to help the user zoom to an area of interest, either a city or county. To view detailed USGS topographic maps for an area, zoom in below 1:40,000 and they will automatically appear as the basemap. If additional information is needed for a specific mine: 1) select the "Identify Features From" radio button, 2) choose the mine type from the drop-down list, and 3) click inside the boundary of the mine. This will return some basic mine information. Detailed explanations of mine attributes are available in the metadata files which are available for each coal mine dataset (surface mines, underground mines, mine entrances). For more detailed information, please contact the Indiana Geological Survey.

DISCLAIMER

The following maps were prepared by the Indiana Geological Survey, an institute of Indiana University. Neither members of the Indiana Geological Survey, Indiana University, nor any person or organization acting on behalf of any or all of them:

A. Makes any warranty or representation, express or implied with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this Internet Map Server (IMS) Web site, including any warranty of merchantability or fitness of any purpose with respect to the site, or that the use of any information disclosed in this site may not infringe privately owned rights, or

B. Assumes any liability with respect to the use of, or for any and all damages resulting from the use of the site, or any portion thereof or any information disclosed therein.

Maps generated by this Internet Map Server are intended for use only at the scale of 1:24,000 or smaller. A detailed on-the-ground survey and historical analysis of a singe site may differ from maps generated by this IMS.

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

The Internet mapping application requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or higher (problems may be encountered with other browsers), with frames enabled. The application is best viewed at screen resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels or higher. This interactive map site utilizes pop-up windows. Please disable popup blocking software for this site.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For additional information, contact Licia Weber (e-mail: weber@indiana.edu) at the Indiana Geological Survey, 611 N. Walnut Grove, Bloomington, IN 47405.

For more information about coal mining in Indiana, visit the Indiana Division of Reclamation.

Copyright © 2000, The Trustees of Indiana University