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Biden Administration Bans Mining in Boundary Waters …

A 20-year moratorium on new mining activity for more than 225,000 acres of federal land in Minnesota could deal a fatal blow to a proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine.

Staking a Claim

Federal law specifies that claim boundaries must be distinctly and clearly marked to be readily identifiable. Most states have statutes and regulations concerning the actual staking and recording of mining claims so …

Land Ownership in National Park System Units in Alaska and

These non-federal lands are in private, state, borough, or municipal ownership. The existence of these non-federal lands creates the possibility of mining and other developments within the boundaries of NPS units in Alaska.

Gold Prospecting in Arizona: 7 Best Locations & Laws

As you read this complete guide, we went into detail about the art of gold panning in Arizona. We showed you seven of the best places to look for this valuable metal and discussed the laws governing gold prospecting to …

Mining on Federal Lands: Hardrock Minerals

Mining of hardrock minerals on federal lands is governed primarily by the General Mining Law of 1872. The law grants free access to individuals and corporations to prospect for minerals in public domain lands, and allows them, upon making a discovery, to stake (or "locate") a claim on that deposit. A claim gives the holder the right to ...

Arizona Mining and Minerals

Locatable minerals include gold, silver, copper, and other hard rock minerals. There are more than 60,000 mining claims recorded on Arizona's public lands, where exploration and development of these vital assets provides materials …

The Diggings™: Free Mining Claim Maps And Reports

The Diggings™ is the most comprehensive free mining claim reference online. Search 3,921,409 up-to-date gold, silver, and other mining claim maps within the USA.

BLM Alaska Mining and Minerals

Gold, silver, copper, zinc, graphite, cobalt, lead, Rare Earth Elements, and other minerals are found in Alaska, many of which are actively mined. In fact, many of these minerals are critical components in renewable energy technology. Of course placer mining, long a mainstay of Alaska's gold mining industry, still operates today, as well.

Lode & Placer: 150 years of mining claims on public lands

The General Mining Law initially covered all types of minerals found on federal public lands. Staking a claim made the minerals found on that claim locatable and made them the property of the claimholder, who could also file …

Federal Land Records

Through the links below, find federal land records from across the country, to include historical documents to current interactive mapping tools.

Hardrock Mining Management: Selected …

This report describes the governance structures and approaches used to manage mining on (1) selected mineral-producing countries' land, (2) state-owned land in selected U.S. states, and (3) …

Biden-Harris Administration Report Outlines Reforms …

The report also identifies reforms to revitalize federal support for research into advanced, lower-impact mining and exploration technologies and methods, workforce development, and the need for increased resources to address the legacy of abandoned and unreclaimed hardrock mining sites that continue to pollute land and water …

New Biden administration report considers opening 28 …

The 392-page draft report could lead to a final decision to open the land to oil development and mining. The federal government could also retain half-century-old protections for the land.

The mining map: Who's eyeing the gold on Brazil's indigenous lands?

Applications to mine on indigenous lands in the Amazon have increased by 91% under the Bolsonaro administration. Among the applicants are mining giant Anglo American, small-scale cooperatives ...

USMIN Mineral Deposit Database | U.S. Geological Survey

An accurate, up-to-date mineral deposit database utilizing current geospatial technologies is needed to meet the needs of USGS research, state and federal land management agencies, private industry, and the general public. In the 1960's, the USGS and the U.S. Bureau of Mines developed national-scale mine and mineral deposit …

Arizona Mining Permitting Guide

Acquired lands are those lands, including mineral estates, which are not public domain lands and which the United States obtained through purchase, donation or condemnation, and includes lands previously disposed of under the public land laws including the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended.

The Potential Impacts of Gold Mining in ia

As a result, the committee focused its deliberations on private and state-owned lands and did not focus on considerations specific to gold mining in tribal reservations or federal lands in ia.

From Gold Rush to Rot—The Lasting Environmental Costs …

More than 100 years of hardrock mining on federal land brought prosperity to the U.S. economy—contributing crucial metals and minerals to industries such as transportation and defense. But this widespread mining has contributed to serious public health, safety, and environmental concerns. For example, the Environmental Protection …

State of Colorado approves settlement with the federal …

The Colorado Natural Resources Trustees today approved a $5 million settlement with the federal government to resolve natural resource damages claims at the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund Site, including damages from the 2015 Gold King Mine blowout.

Hardrock Mining: Availability of Selected Data Related to Mining …

The federal government manages 29% of the land in the United States. We reviewed the extent to which federal agencies collected data on hardrock mining on federal land, and found that the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service are the 2 agencies that reported collecting some of this data.

Mineral Resources

The minable minerals on federal and state lands are divided into three categories, each subject to different laws and regulations. The three categories of mineral materials are locatable, leasable, and saleable.

BLM Idaho Mining and Minerals

If you own unpatented mining claims or sites on Federal lands, your annual maintenance fee payments or maintenance fee waiver certification, Form 3830-2, (waiver) are due on or before September 1, 2023, in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho State Office . Failure to timely pay the fee or file the waiver in the proper BLM office, will subject your …

Prospecting for Gold on BLM and Forest Service Lands?

The short answer is yes. The vast majority of federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service (USFS) are open to mineral exploration. This means that you can go out and collect gold, gems and minerals. This includes panning, sluicing, digging with basic hand tools and metal detecting.

Gold Prospecting in Montana: 7 Best Locations & Laws

Individuals and companies can stake claims on federal lands in Montana through the General Mining Law of 1872. This Act declares that all valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States are …

Gold mine near Death Valley sparks controversy

The 1872 mining law, written before the telephone was invented, allows multinational mining concerns to extract gold, silver and other "hardrock minerals" on public lands without compensating ...

Mining Claims and Sites on Federal Lands

The General Mining Law of 1872, as amended, opened the public lands of the United States to mineral acquisition by the location and maintenance of mining claims. Mineral deposits subject to acquisition in this manner are generally referred to as "locatable miner-als." Locatable minerals include both metallic minerals (gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, …

Gold, silver and lithium mining on federal land doesn't …

Hard rock minerals like gold, silver, copper and lithium on public lands belong to the American public, but under a 150-year-old law, the US gives them away for free.

Nevada Mining and Minerals

Nevada Leads the Nation in Mining Mining has been and continues to be vital to Nevada's economy. The BLM Nevada solid minerals program consists of locatable minerals, such as gold and silver, and is the only state producing lithium, which is quickly becoming the "gold rush" of the 21st century due to its value for use in emerging technologies in stored energy.

Biden plan would overhaul 151-year-old mining law, make …

The Biden administration is recommending changes to a 151-year-old law that governs mining for copper, gold and other hardrock minerals on U.S.-owned lands.

Mining on Federal Land

While many of the so-called land grab laws of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have been repealed or altered, the Mining Law of 1872 still governs hard-rock mining claims on federal public lands. Some argue for repealing the law altogether, and others argue that it is effective as is.

The 1872 Mining Law: Historical Origins of the Discovery …

The General Mining Law of 1872 governs the exploitation of minerals on federal lands.3 It declares "[a]ll valuable mineral de-posits in lands belonging to the United States ...shall be free and open to exploration, and purchase, and the lands in which they are found to occupation and purchase."' 4 The Law applies principally to hard-rock or metallic …

United States Department of Interior

The Mining Law of 1872 (hereinafter "Mining Law") opens "all valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States" and "the lands in which they are found" to exploration, occupation and purchase. 30 U.S.C. 8 22. The Mining Law thereby authorizes citizens and those who have declared their intention to become citizens to enter federal …

: Mineral Resources of New Mexico

The General Mining Act of 1872, as amended, grants all U.S. citizens ages 18 and older the right to locate a mining claim on U.S. federal lands open to mineral entry. Corporations organized under state law can locate and hold mining claims. Lands not open to mineral entry are exempt from the Mining Act and claims can not be filed. …

Mining for Gold and Other Minerals on Federal Lands | U.S.

The Mining Law of 1872 opened up federal land to exploration and extraction of hardrock minerals such as gold, silver, and copper. According to the Department of the Interior, at least 2.5 million ounces of gold were extracted from federal lands in 2014—with an average price of $1,270 per ounce. We found that it took BLM …

Libraries, Archives, Museums: Gold mining in Alaska: Home

Alaska Minerals Program - Alaska Bureau of Land Management. More serious miners can find forms for mining claims and mineral assessment here. Public Information Office - Alaska Deparment of Natural Resources. If you have a question about gold panning or placer mining that you haven't been able to find the answer for, contact …

Minerals & Mining Law

The principal means of acquiring mining rights on federal lands is location of mining claims under the Mining Law of 1872. That statute, enacted when the West was being settled and federal policy encouraged disposal of public domain lands, still governs the location of metallic minerals such as gold, silver, tin and copper, as well as other ...

Mining and Reclamation | SCDHEC

In 1974, the S.C. Mining Act was passed to ensure all mined lands would be returned to some useful purpose and for the protection of people and the environment. The Act and regulations outline the application process, how to conduct mine operations, and minimum reclamation standards. The Act defines mining as the removal of ores from the ground ...

USGS Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative | U.S. Geological …

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted an Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Initiative during the fiscal years 1997 through 2001 to provide technical assistance in support of Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) actions to remediate contamination associated with abandoned hard rock mining activities. This initiative was part of a …

Mining on Federal Lands After the Gold Rush

Our report dug deep into the data on mining on federal lands. We looked at hardrock, non-energy mineral, and coal mining there. We found that there are 872 authorized mining operations on about 1.3 …

How to Stake a Mining Claim on Federal Land in 8 Simple …

The rest of the states do not contain federal lands where you can stake a mining claim. Most of the states in the West have abundant public lands open to staking a mining claim. There is plenty of gold in the West too!