# Presentation: 263067

## Interstate Mining Compact Commission Intergovernmental  Benchmarking Workshop on Underground Mine MappingThe Galt House Hotel140 Fourth Avenue NorthLouisville, KY 40202  October 15 & 16, 2003

## FEDERAL LEASES  A BLM PERSPECTIVE ON MINERAL DEVELOPMENT 

- BLM is the DOI agency responsible for leasing  Federal minerals  (Energy and Nonenergy solid minerals) on public lands.
- 40% of America’s coal comes from public lands.
- OSM is the DOI agency responsible for regulating  reclamation of coal mining operations.  BLM is responsible for regulating reclamation of other federal mineral development.

## Energy and Non-Energy Solid Minerals Mine Maps Many Formats, Locations, and Commodities

- _Formats:_
- Electronic (dwg)
- Paper copies
- Blueline
- Mylar and Sepia
- Velum
- Mining/Operation Maps
- Abandonment Maps

- _Locations_:
- State Offices
- Field Offices
- Satellite Offices
- Storage
- Archives

- _Commodities_:
- Coal (Nationwide)
- Potassium (NM)
- Sodium (WY)
- Lead/Zinc (MO)
- Limestone (VA)
- Gilsonite (UT)

- Underground map requirements for nonenergy minerals are similar to those for energy (coal) mining operations.  BLM presently manages leases and requires maps for:

## Mine Maps Required (Energy and Nonenergy)

**BLM requires 2 types of maps:**
_**Mining Plans and Operation Maps**_
**Before mining can occur the lessee’s plan must comply with the**
**Mineral Leasing Act (MLA).  The mining plan must demonstrate:**
**Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the coal or Ultimate Maximum Recovery (UMR) of a  “nonenergy” mineral deposit**
**Production maps must show all excavations in such a manner that the production of federal minerals for any royalty reporting period can be accurately ascertained.**
_**Abandonment Maps**_
**The permanent abandonment map demonstrates the maximum**
**extent of the mining operations, the achievement of  MER or**
**UMR, and the geological supports left to provide future access and**
**protect surface resources. **

## General Mine Map (Plan) Requirements 

**Underground mine maps must include information such as:**
**	****Name of the operator/lessee; **
**	****All federal  lease or license serial numbers and boundary lines; **
**	****Permit number and boundary lines; **
**	****True  north arrow and map scale;**
**	****Location, diameter, and depth of  auger holes; **
**	****Any unusual geologic occurrences  such as dikes, faults, splits etc.; **
**	****All  mine workings and the date of extension of the mine workings;**
**	****Location of ventilation fans and controls at the time of submittal;**
**	****Known bodies of standing water  in other mine workings (in, above, ****	****or below ****	****the works);**
**	****Elevations of surface and underground levels of all shafts, slopes, or**
**	****drifts, and mine survey stations in the  roof at regular intervals in ****	****main entries, panels, or sections; and**
**	****Vertical cross sections when required.**

## FOIA CONSIDERATIONSUnderground Coal Mine Map Information(43 CFR 3481.3)

**Release of any mine map information is subject to FOIA regulations.**
**For coal leases the following information cannot be publicly disclosed without the consent of the operator/lessee:**
**Geologic and geophysical data and maps pertaining to Federal recoverable coal reserves **
**Information obtained from an operator/lessee that constitutes trade and commercial secrets  **
**Financial information which is privileged or confidential **
**Other information may be withheld under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C.  552(b)) if the operator/lessee clearly marks it as “CONFIDENTIAL  INFORMATION.''  All information not marked will be available for public inspection.**
**Upon termination of a Federal lease, geologic and geophysical data and maps can be made available to the public**

## Recommendations for the Underground Mine Map Repository

- _Centralized Repository _
- Access for BLM
- Standardize the protocol for submitting historical underground
- 	mine maps (i.e. contacts, delivery and original map return policy)
- Affordable-Archiving and retrieving
- Protection of confidential data
- Guidance for our field offices
- _New Map Standards_
- Maps  need to be consistent with BLM data standards
- Map data must meet BLM’s needs
- Maps must met the repository standards
- The map standard should be consistent regardless of land ownership

## U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Solid Minerals GroupContacts:Brenda Aird, Group Manager 202-452-0351Bill Lesage, Min. Engineer 202-452-0360John A. Lewis, Min. Engineer 202-785-6567