 The Mining Law governs access to federal lands for locatable hardrock mineral activities ◦ It is not an environmental statute and doesn’t need to be ◦ It is intended to encourage development of our nation’s natural resources ◦ Locatable minerals include both metallic minerals (gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc, nickel, etc.) and nonmetallic minerals (fluorspar, mica, certain limestones and gypsum, tantalum, heavy minerals in placer form and gemstones). ◦ Amended by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA)

 Facts:  U.S. metal mines directly contributed $19.1 billion to U.S. GDP during  That contribution generated a total of $36.8 billion in economic output in the United States in  Metal ore mining generated $14.6 billion in direct labor income and $36.3 in total.  A recent PWC study reports that more than 400,000 Americans are directly employed in minerals mining jobs, and another 700,000 jobs are indirectly supported by mining

 Facts:  The Mining industry has been on record for the last 15 years as supportive of a reasonable royalty that allows the industry to remain competitive  The industry supported the 1995 bill vetoed by President Clinton that would have imposed a 5 % net proceeds royalty ◦ If that law had passed, millions of dollars would have been collected for cleanup of legacy mine sites that predate modern environmental laws

 Facts:  The environmental impacts of mining on federal lands are already fully addressed by a comprehensive range of federal and state laws and regulations.  Congressionally Mandated NAS Study: Federal and state laws are “generally effective” in providing environmental protection.

 Clean Air Act  Clean Water Act  Safe Drinking Water Act  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act  Endangered Species Act  National Historic Preservation Act  Wilderness Act  Mining in the Parks Act  Toxic Substances Control Act  Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act  Wild and Scenic Rivers Act  BLM Surface Management Regulations  Forest Service Surface Management Regulations

 Soils  Stabilization  Sediments, Erosion and Drainage  Surface Restoration  Vegetation  Excess Waste  Structures  Hydrologic Balance  Surface Water Quality  Ground Water Quality  Air Quality  Fish and Wildlife  Inspections  Administrative Orders  Financial Assurance  Permit Suspension or Revocation  Injunctions  Civil and Criminal Penalties

 Fact: The Federal Land Policy and Management Act requires prevention of “undue or unnecessary degradation” of public lands  Mining that would cause such degradation cannot be approved