Mining

A recent U.S. House hearing that centered on a relatively unknown segment of federal energy policy quickly evolved into a discussion on how much the government should prioritize mining.

A group led by the Interior Department has released recommendations to reform mining practices on public lands.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration issued 335 violations in April at 20 mines across 15 states. Mines in the Mountain West accounted for 83 of the violations, 17 of which were considered "significant and substantial."

The Nez Perce and Perpetua Resources have agreed ‘in principle’ to settle a lawsuit alleging pollution by the mining company in violation of the Clean Water Act.

A mining company may have found the largest known deposit of rare earths in North America in Southeast Wyoming.

The batteries in your cell phone, the glass in solar panels and other important materials all depend on rare earth minerals. That’s leading to a new mining rush in the West.

Late last week, Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva and New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich introduced the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act. It would make a number of changes to the Mining Law of 1872, including the collection of royalties from hardrock mining.

Native law experts convened by the UCLA Native Nations Law and Policy Center examine the controversies over Thacker Pass and Oak Flat, sites important to the Paiute and Apache, respectively, that would be destroyed by proposed mines.

Public comment on the latest draft environmental impact statement prepared by the Forest Service for plans to resume mining at the historic Stibnite site in Valley County are due January 10, 2023.

The forest service identified Perpetua’s modified plan as its ‘preferred alternative.’ In a press release, the company wrote it was glad that community feedback earlier in the process had made the plan for Stibnite better.