Number: RL33908
Title: Mining on Federal Lands: Hardrock Minerals
Authors: Marc Humphries, Resources, Science, and Industry Division 
Abstract: Broad-based legislation to reform the General Mining Law of 1872, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 (H.R. 2262), was introduced on May 10, 2007. The bill, as amended in Committee markup, would establish an Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine Reclamation Fund, a Locatable Minerals Community Impact Assistance Fund, and an 8% royalty on "net smelter returns" from new mines or mine expansions and a 4% "net smelter return" royalty on existing mines. New reclamation standards would be established, and a reclamation bond or other financial guarantee would be required before operation permits are approved. Hearings were held on H.R. 2262 by the Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals on July 26, August 21, and October 2, 2007. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held an oversight hearing on hardrock mining on federal lands September 27, 2007. The House Committee on Natural Resources approved H.R. 2262, as amended, by a vote of 23-15 on October 23, 2007. On November 1, 2007, the House passed H.R. 2262 by a vote of 244-166. A Senate bill, S. 2750, introduced March 12, 2008 (Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 2008), would address cleaning up abandoned hardrock mines throughout the United States by establishing an Abandoned Mine Cleanup Fund and imposing various fees on hardrock mining operations on federal land. Two Oversight Hearings were held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the 110th Congress - one on hardrock mining on federal land (September 27, 2007) and a second on reform of the General Mining Law of 1872 (January 24, 2008). The Senate Energy Committee held a third hearing to address abandoned hardrock mine lands and uranium mining (March 12, 2008).
Pages: 12
Date: April 30, 2008