Congress is considering a number of policy options to streamline the permitting process for mining on public lands and provide greater certainty for the mining industry. As Congress weighs these policy options, it is imperative that legislation also includes updates to the outdated 1872 Mining Law. Currently, there are no royalties paid on hardrock minerals extracted from public lands and public land managers lack the authority to say “no” to the wrong mine in the wrong place.  

 A responsible path forward for domestic mining should include dedicating revenue from public lands mining to abandoned mine cleanups, as well as discretion by local public land management professionals to determine – upfront – public lands that are incompatible with mining, such as sensitive fish and wildlife habitats, community drinking water supplies, or sacred sites, for example. Comprehensive mining reform should address these issues alongside policy options for permitting new mines.  

Read more about balancing responsible mining and conservation.