To modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The bill provides hardrock Mining Reform Act, imposes closure to entry and location under general mining laws, and defines limitation on patents for mining claims and millsites. It relies on appropriations, reporting requirements, compliance mandates, and definition changes. The main policy areas are Energy and Environment.
Who Benefits and How
Entities interested in hardrock mineral exploration or development on federal lands could gain revenue opportunities, Mineral claimants on Federal lands could gain revenue opportunities, and Citizens affected by mineral activities could face fewer barriers.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Operators with mineral activity permits would take on compliance duties, Operators conducting mineral activities could face higher costs, and Mining companies, claim holders, license holders, lease holders, operators would take on compliance duties.
Key Provisions
- Provides hardrock Mining Reform Act.
- Imposes closure to entry and location under general mining laws.
- Defines limitation on patents for mining claims and millsites.
- Provides mineral prospecting licensing regulations.
- Provides competitive leasing of federal lands for hardrock mineral exploration and development.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
The bill provides hardrock Mining Reform Act, imposes closure to entry and location under general mining laws, and defines limitation on patents for mining claims and millsites.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Environment
Primary Purpose
The bill provides hardrock Mining Reform Act, imposes closure to entry and location under general mining laws, and defines limitation on patents for mining claims and millsites.
Policy Domains
Whole bill
Identified Gains
- Entities interested in hardrock mineral exploration or development on federal lands
- Mineral claimants on Federal lands
- Citizens affected by mineral activities
Identified Costs
- Operators with mineral activity permits
- Operators conducting mineral activities
- Mining companies, claim holders, license holders, lease holders, operators
- Mining companies and applicants
- Mining claim holders
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Grijalva (for himself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Commercial mineral prospectors, Companies applying for mining exploration permits, Companies with operations permits for hardrock minerals on Federal land
Positive-direction: Entities interested in hardrock mineral exploration or development on federal lands, Large-scale mining operations (>100 acres), Mineral claimants on Federal lands, Mining operators, Persons engaging in mineral activities on Federal land, Qualified small miners
Negative-direction: Commercial mineral prospectors, Companies applying for mining exploration permits, Companies with operations permits for hardrock minerals on Federal land, Holders of unpatented mining claims, millsites, or tunnel sites on Federal land, Mining and mineral exploration companies, Mining claim holders, Mining claim holders and millsite owners, Mining companies and applicants, Mining companies with active claims or authorizations on Federal land, Mining companies, claim holders, license holders, lease holders, operators, Operators conducting mineral activities, Operators engaging in hardrock mineral activities on Federal land or Indian land, Operators with mineral activity permits, Persons and entities subject to the Act
Any person alleged to be in violation of this Act, Citizens affected by mineral activities, Residents in areas proposed or approved for mineral activities
Positive-direction: Citizens affected by mineral activities
Negative-direction: Any person alleged to be in violation of this Act
Federal agencies undertaking mineral activities, Federal lands
Persons subject to the requirements of this Act
Environmental advocacy groups, businesses potentially affected by regulations
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "administrator_of_epa"
- → Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
- "secretary_of_agriculture"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
that a mining claim located for any such mineral material—(A)had and still has some property giving it the distinct and special value referred to in subsection (a), or as the case may be, met the definition of block pumice referred to in such subsection
a person (including all related parties thereto) that— holds not more than 10 mining claims, millsites, or tunnel sites, or any combination thereof, on Federal land
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology