▁in ▁two ▁parts ; ▁one ▁to ▁control ▁effects ▁of ▁active ▁mines , ▁and ▁one ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁abandoned ▁mines . ▁S MC RA ▁also ▁initi ated ▁an ▁abandoned ▁mine ▁land ▁fund , ▁in ▁which ▁a ▁fee ▁was ▁charged ▁for ▁each ▁ton ▁of ▁coal ▁produced . ▁This ▁re venue ▁was ▁distributed ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Mine ▁Work ers ▁Association ▁( UM WA ) ▁towards ▁ret irement ▁funds , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Sur face ▁M ining ▁Rec lam ation ▁and ▁En for cement ▁( OS M RE ) ▁to ▁continue ▁operations . ▁There ▁is ▁still ▁around ▁$ 2 ▁billion ▁in ▁funds ▁that ▁are ▁und ist ributed ▁thus ▁far . ▁ ▁Ab andon ed ▁M ines ▁in ▁Canada ▁ ▁De fin itions ▁▁▁ ▁National ▁Or phan ed / Ab andon ed ▁M ines ▁In iti ative ▁- ▁Or phan ed ▁or ▁abandoned ▁mines ▁are ▁those ▁mines ▁for ▁which ▁the ▁owner ▁cannot ▁be ▁found ▁or ▁for ▁which ▁the ▁owner ▁is ▁finan cially ▁unable ▁or ▁unw illing ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁clean - up . ▁They ▁pose ▁environmental , ▁health , ▁safety ▁and ▁economic ▁problems ▁to ▁communities , ▁the ▁min ing ▁industry ▁and ▁govern ments ▁in ▁many ▁countries , ▁including ▁Canada . ▁The ▁Ontario ▁M ining ▁Act ▁describes ▁" ab andon ed ▁mines " ▁as ▁an ▁old ▁land ▁previously ▁used ▁for ▁coal ▁min ing ▁but ▁is ▁now ▁un used ▁due ▁to ▁ha z ard ous ▁environmental ▁and ▁health ▁effects . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 , 1 3 9 ▁abandoned ▁mines ▁currently