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Repeals section 2325 of the Revised Statutes (codified at 30 U.S.C. 29).
Amends section 2324 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 28) to preserve co-ownership provisions but replace applicable annual assessment/work/expenditure requirements with the annual maintenance fee regime established in this Act.
Creates a new framework for mining locatable hardrock minerals on Federal land by defining key terms, imposing fees and royalties, tightening permitting and reclamation rules, and creating a dedicated Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund. It requires annual and one-time claim fees, a production royalty (generally 5–8% of gross income), operator-paid reclamation fees (1–3% of production value), financial assurance bonds, stronger permitting and inspection standards, and enforcement tools for noncompliance. Direct effects include higher and recurring costs for claim holders and operators, new revenue directed into a federal reclamation fund for cleanup and reclamation starting in fiscal year 2026, and expanded oversight and recordkeeping by federal agencies, with transition rules for existing claims and a required study of uranium development.
Applicant — any person that applies for a permit under this Act, or for a modification or renewal of a permit issued under this Act.
Beneficiation — the crushing and grinding of locatable mineral ore, and any processes used to free the mineral from other constituents, including physical and chemical separation techniques.
Casual use — mineral activities that ordinarily result in no or negligible disturbance of Federal land or resources. Includes collecting geochemical, rock, soil, or mineral specimens using hand tools, hand panning, or nonmotorized sluicing. Does not include use of mechanized earth-moving equipment, suction dredging, explosives, motor vehicles in areas closed to off-road vehicles, construction of roads or drill pads, or use of toxic or hazardous materials or explosives.
Claim holder — a person holding a mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site that is located under the general mining laws and maintained in compliance with the general mining laws and this Act.
Control — having the ability to determine the manner in which an entity conducts mineral activities.
Who is affected and how:
Mining claim holders and operators: Face new, recurring costs (annual maintenance and reclamation fees), a production royalty on gross income, and higher compliance costs for permitting, monitoring, reporting, and financial assurance. Some existing operations may be grandfathered for limited provisions, but many will need to secure bonds and update plans to meet the new standards.
Reclamation and cleanup recipients: The Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund creates a new, dedicated funding source for mine reclamation and cleanup starting fiscal year 2026; communities and project contractors could see increased funding for cleanup of abandoned and current mine sites.
Federal agencies (Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, and potentially USDA where shared lands are involved): Will need to administer fee and royalty collection, permit review, inspections, audits, enforcement, and Fund management—requiring staff time, technical capacity, and coordination across agencies.
Tribal governments and nearby local communities: Benefit from formal Tribal consultation requirements and potential reclamation funding but may also experience local impacts from ongoing operations, increased environmental protections, and changes in permitting timelines.
Environmental and public stakeholders: Likely to see stronger reclamation expectations, more funding for cleanup, and potentially lower long-term environmental liabilities; industry stakeholders may object to increased costs and administrative burdens, which could affect mine economics and project timing.
Overall effect: The law shifts more of the long-term environmental and financial responsibility for hardrock mining onto operators through fees, royalties, and bonding, funds federal reclamation efforts via a new dedicated fund, and increases federal oversight and enforcement—all of which raise the cost of mining while improving funding for cleanup and environmental protection.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced March 5, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress March 5, 2025
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-46.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate