New rules and fees would prevent waste, fraud, and pollution from hardrock mining on public lands.
This bill would change how hardrock minerals are mined on federal lands. It would replace the old system with a new leasing program, requiring companies to pay royalties and fees. It also sets stronger environmental standards and contributes to an existing program to clean up old mines.
Today, hardrock mining on federal lands largely operates under the 1872 Mining Law, allowing claims without royalties and with less stringent cleanup requirements. After this bill, new hardrock mining on federal lands would require leases, royalties, and annual fees, along with strict environmental permits and financial guarantees for cleanup, and certain sensitive areas would be off-limits.
HR 1865 · 119th Congress · March 5, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10
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Amounts reflect total quarterly lobbying spend reported to the Senate, not bill-specific spending. Source: Senate LDA filings.