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Biden Administration Report Calls for Update to 1872 Mining Law to Advance Clean Energy

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FILE - Terraces cut into the hillside at the huge Santa Rita copper mine in Grant County, N.M., are shown in this March 1999 file photo. The Biden administration is recommending changes to a 151-year-old law that governs mining for copper, gold and other hardrock minerals on U.S.-owned lands, including making companies pay royalties on what they extract. (Richard Pipes/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)
An employee walks near lithium evaporation ponds at a production facility in Silver Peak, Nevada, U.S. October 6, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

Overview

  • The Interior Department released a report with over 60 recommendations to modernize the 151-year-old mining law.
  • The report aims to expedite permitting and clarify regulations to meet demand for minerals needed for clean energy.
  • It suggests requiring earlier consultation with agencies and identifying optimal locations for mining.
  • Incomplete plans are cited as a cause of delays, which clearer rules and more experienced staff could address.
  • Updating the law would boost domestic mineral supply and reduce dependence on foreign sources.