Mining Regulatory Clarity Act
Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025 would expand how hardrock mining operations can locate mill sites on U.S. public land within an approved plan of operations. A “mill site” is defined as a location on public land reasonably needed for waste rock or tailings disposal or for other operations connected to mineral development. The bill allows a mining operator with lode or placer claims to locate and use multiple mill sites as needed, up to 5 acres per site, without conveying any mineral rights. It requires that these activities be conducted under an approved plan of operations and clarifies that establishing mill sites does not alter existing mining rights, patent rights, or land withdrawals. In addition, the bill creates the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund to receive claim maintenance fees collected on mill sites located under the new provision, to be used to fund cleanup and reclamation activities under a provision of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The bill also makes clerical amendments to align older mining-law references with current statutes.
Key Points
- 1Adds “Additional Mill Sites” to 30 U.S.C. 42, permitting multiple mill sites on public land for operations within a plan of operations, with a maximum of 5 acres per site and no transfer of mineral rights.
- 2Operators with lode or placer claims can locate and include as many mill sites as reasonably necessary within their approved plan of operations; mill sites must be used in accordance with an approved plan.
- 3Mill sites do not confer patent rights, and the bill preserves existing rights and federal regulatory authority (e.g., on withdrawals and environmental or historic protections); no new rights are created on land not open to location.
- 4Establishes the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund in the Treasury, funded by the claim maintenance fees collected on mill sites located under the new subsection; funds are to be used to carry out IIJA 40704 (hardrock mine reclamation and related activities), with specified allocation and transfer rules.
- 5Makes clerical amendments to update references from the Mining Law of 1872 to current statutory language and to adjust terminology related to claim maintenance and location fees.