# Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2023
This bill fundamentally overhauls how hardrock mining operates on federal public lands by imposing new fees, royalties, and permitting requirements while establishing a fund to reclaim abandoned mine sites.
The legislation requires mining companies to pay annual claim maintenance fees of $200 per mining claim (adjusted every five years for inflation), location fees of $50 per new claim, and royalties of 5-8 percent on gross mining income. For larger mining operations approved after the bill's enactment, companies must also pay land use fees equal to four times the claim maintenance fee per 20 acres of federal land used. These payments fund a new Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund dedicated to cleaning up abandoned mines.
The bill replaces the century-old Mining Law of 1872 with a modern permitting system requiring companies to obtain exploration or mining permits demonstrating they can prevent acid mine drainage, use best management practices, and properly reclaim disturbed land. Companies must post bonds or financial assurance to cover reclamation costs, with requirements reviewed every three years. Permits last 30 years and continue as long as minerals are produced commercially. The law establishes strict inspection requirements, with federal land managers conducting at least quarterly inspections of active mining sites.
The bill affects mining companies, small claim holders (with a waiver for those holding ten or fewer claims who perform annual work), and future mineral exploration and production on federal lands managed by the Interior and Agriculture Departments. Violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per day and potential criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment.
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