This book, the result of a congressionally mandated study, examines the adequacy of the regulatory framework for mining of hardrock mineralsâ€"such as gold, silver, copper, and uraniumâ€"on over 350 million acres of federal lands in the western United States. These lands are managed by two agenciesâ€"the Bureau of Land Management in the Department of the Interior, and the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. The committee concludes that the complex network of state and federal laws that regulate hardrock mining on federal lands is generally effective in providing environmental protection, but improvements are needed in the way the laws are implemented and some regulatory gaps need to be addressed. The book makes specific recommendations for improvement, including: The development of an enhanced information management system and a more efficient process to review new mining proposals and issue permits. Changes to regulations that would require all mining operations, other than "casual use" activities that negligibly disturb the environment, to provide financial assurances for eventual site cleanup. Changes to regulations that would require all mining and milling operations (other than casual use) to submit operating plans in advance.

Miners have extracted billions of dollars worth of gold, silver, copper, and other hardrock (locatable) minerals from fed. lands without having to pay a royalty. The vast majority of the fed. lands where hardrock mining operations (HMO) occur are in 12 western states, including Alaska. These western states have statutes governing HMO on lands in their state. These states charge royalties that allow them to share in the proceeds from hardrock minerals extracted from state-owned lands. This report provides info. on: (1) which types of royalties the 12 western states assess on HMO; and (2) trends on imports and exports of hardrock minerals. It also provides data on HMO on fed. lands that the fed. gov¿t. either does not routinely collect or consistently maintain. Ill.

The General Mining Act of 1872 helped open the West by allowing individuals to obtain exclusive rights to mine billions of dollars worth of gold, silver, and other hardrock (locatable) minerals from fed. lands without having to pay a fed. royalty. For years, some mining operators abandoned land used in their mining operations, creating environmental and physical safety hazards. To curb further growth in the number of abandoned hardrock mines on fed. lands, in 1981, the Dept. of the Interior¿s Bureau of Land Mgmt. (BLM) began requiring mining operators to reclaim BLM land disturbed by these operations. This testimony focuses on the: (1) royalties states charge; and (2) number of abandoned hardrock mine sites and hazards. Illustrations.

This book, the result of a congressionally mandated study, examines the adequacy of the regulatory framework for mining of hardrock mineralsâ€"such as gold, silver, copper, and uraniumâ€"on over 350 million acres of federal lands in the western United States. These lands are managed by two agenciesâ€"the Bureau of Land Management in the Department of the Interior, and the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. The committee concludes that the complex network of state and federal laws that regulate hardrock mining on federal lands is generally effective in providing environmental protection, but improvements are needed in the way the laws are implemented and some regulatory gaps need to be addressed. The book makes specific recommendations for improvement, including: The development of an enhanced information management system and a more efficient process to review new mining proposals and issue permits. Changes to regulations that would require all mining operations, other than "casual use" activities that negligibly disturb the environment, to provide financial assurances for eventual site cleanup. Changes to regulations that would require all mining and milling operations (other than casual use) to submit operating plans in advance.