Following a statewide survey of all Illinois lands affected by underground mining for coal, the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale identified problem areas associated with abandoned underground mine sites. Based upon an evaluation of the extent and severity of adverse environmental parameters, approximately 5,000 acres representing 508 mine sites located in 50 counties were identified as problem areas. These areas represented of one or more of the following conditions: (1) exposed refuse materials (2,812.6 acres of gob and 666.8 acres of slurry), (2) abandoned tipple areas (397.7 acres), (3) polluted water impoundments (233.7 acres), (4) adjacent affected terrestrial areas, (5) mine drainage to adjacent ditches, streams, and/or rivers (276 mine sites), and (6) potentially hazardous mine openings including openings with mine drainage. In addition to physical and vegetational descriptions, analyses of refuse samples as well as drainage samples are included with individual mine site descriptions. An objective ranking system of problem sites based upon the extent and severity of individual problem conditions is also included.