S. 2750 would modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims.
Detailed Summary
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 2008 - Applies this Act to any mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim: (1) located under the general mining laws; or (2) used for beneficiation or mineral processing activities, regardless of whether legal and beneficial title to the mineral is held by the United States.
Subjects production of locatable minerals from any mining claim, including mineral concentrates or products derived from such minerals, to a royalty of 8% of the gross income from mining.
Imposes a 4% royalty upon federal lands subject to an existing operations permit and producing valuable locatable minerals in commercial quantities.
Establishes a civil penalty for failure to comply with royalty requirements, including underreporting.
Requires a hardrock mining claim maintenance fee and a location fee for each unpatented mining claim, mill, or tunnel site on federally owned lands, whether located before, on, or after enactment of this Act.
Establishes a fee for transfer of ownership of an unpatented mining claim, mill, or tunnel site.
Requires each operator of a hardrock minerals mining operation to pay a reclamation fee of 0.3 % of the gross income of the hardrock minerals mining operation for each calendar year.
Establishes the Abandoned Mine Cleanup Fund for reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by past mineral activities on certain federal lands. Requires deposit in the Fund of all royalties, fees, and civil penalties.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/12/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Gus
The requirements in this bill will financially break most small to medium size domestic mining companies operating on federal lands. Mom and Pop operations will all close due to the tremendous costs proposed. Minorities in small western towns will be devastated. This act will leave only the largest international mining corporations able to mine on federal lands in the U.S. They will then control the markets much as the oil corporations and cartels do on oil products.
The U.S. economy will be harmed by this bill and the american public will lose their minerals to global cartels that will get the best prices from China,Indonesia, India and other overseas buyers.
This act if passed will destroy Americas last heavy industry.
russau
SB2262 was already dumped and now you change the name around and its still a pigs ear!all your going todo is completly ruin whts left of the American ecconomy!
mama_blue
There is so little left of our individual rights in this country, and now the powers that be are working to remove one more. Those of us who are mining on a very small acale will be shut completely down by this bill if it passes. We're the 'baby' that will be thrown out with the bath water. If smaller companies are put out of business due to financial constraits imposed upon them, the openings will be there for larger, foreign countries to step right in,gaining another foothold on our economy, and soon this will no longer be 'OUR' country. If congress woild just focus on strengthening the existing laws in place at this time, with regard to huge mining companies which are not paying their fair share in taxes and use fees, there would be no need to reform or replace the 1872 Mining Laws. We have everything to lose if we do nothing.
Don
This is a "wrong headed" anti-mining bill taking away from the American citizen. It is already hard enough for us to make a living in this country. Please vote against it.
gliderman
This is uneeded legislation. There are already sufficient laws on the books to address all these issues of reclamation. This bill is nothing more than dipping into the pockets of an already stuggling industry. The profit margins for small operators, especially, are too slim to survive such a draconian measure. After all, most of the "royalties" will be consumed by the beaurecratic empire that will have to be created to administer it. Our government is already too large, we don't need more governance...we need less!!! No changes to the mining laws are needed. Please vote against this bill.
Anthony Massimilla
They preach that land is sold for $5.00 a acre a mere steal.Although there is a moratorium on land patents and it takes $100,000 legal cost and 50% of funds generated from Gold are spent in the local economy extracting the Ore.
The 1872 mining law is the essence of the American spirit and Dream! One of the threads that drove pioneers West and placed Mans foot print upon the Moon and settled the Greatest nation in the History of Man! To nullify this law or its counterparts would be to extinguish this flame. We would then fall into the ash pile of history and be as common as Bangladesh.
The left are Wrong! Amerika rest in pi-ea-ce,s!
Please preserve the 1872 law in its total and vote unfavorable on this senate bill 2750.
My two grains.