Source: http://www.desertusa.com/mb3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=442&sid=23805819f6f0362ab84b1fa16d7470d0
Timestamp: 2017-04-25 22:22:28
Document Index: 731807933

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6302', '§ 6304', '§ 6304', 'art 3809', 'art 3715', 'art 3715', 'art 3809', 'art 3830', 'art 3809', '§ 6304', 'art 4', 'art 3809', '§6304']

Postby Jim Hatt » Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:23 am Most people believe that mining in the Superstition Mountains has been illegal since Dec. 31, 1983 when they became designated a “Wilderness Area”. THIS IS A MYTHNothing could be farther from the truth. A number of mining claims that were filed within the boundaries of the Superstition Mountains, which became a Wilderness Area on Dec. 31, 1983 continued to operate as valid mining claims long after that date. THIS IS A TRUTHAs an example: Mining claims named Milk Ranch #4 and #5 were filed on Jan 10,1981, and were maintained as valid mining claims right up to April 7, 2004 when they expired due to abandonment based on the owner’s failure to renew the claims.See BLM records of these claims below. NOTE: TO ZOOM IN ON THESE DOCUMENTS HOLD YOUR CTRL KEY AND ROLL YOU MOUSE WHEEL TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE MOUSE. ROLLING IT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WILL ZOOM BACK OUT.The same requirements of the Law that allowed these mining claims (AND VARIOUS OTHERS) to remain valid after the Superstition Mountains became a Wilderness Area, would apply to any new mining claim requests filed within that area, if an individual could prove that he had located a mineral deposit that could be worked at a profit, subject to the same restrictions that applied to the Milk Ranch claims. One example would be: : That individual would not be able to drive any heavy equipment over any portion of the Wilderness Area to bring it to his claim and use it to work the claim. The bottom line is: If someone succeeds in finding the Lost Dutchman Mine or any other rich deposit of Gold in the Superstition Wilderness Area. There is a legal avenue for him to pursue legal ownership of the mineral values contained in it. A full copy of the Wilderness Act is provided below: If you read nothing else. Carefully read the highlighted section titled SPECIAL PROVISIONS.Wilderness Act of 1964Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S. C. 1131-1136)88th Congress, Second SessionSeptember 3, 1964AN ACTTo establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,SHORT TITLESEC. 1. This Act may be cited as the "Wilderness Act".WILDERNESS SYSTEM ESTABLISHED STATEMENT OF POLICYSEC. 2. (a) In order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness. For this purpose there is hereby established a National Wilderness Preservation System to be composed of federally owned areas designated by Congress as "wilderness areas", and these shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness, and so as to provide for the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoyment as wilderness; and no Federal lands shall be designated as "wilderness areas" except as provided for in this Act or by a subsequent Act.(b) The inclusion of an area in the National Wilderness Preservation System notwithstanding, the area shall continue to be managed by the Department and agency having jurisdiction thereover immediately before its inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System unless otherwise provided by Act of Congress. No appropriation shall be available for the payment of expenses or salaries for the administration of The National Wilderness Preservation System as a separate unit nor shall any appropriations be available for additional personnel stated as being required solely for the purpose of managing or administering areas solely because they are included within The National Wilderness Preservation System.DEFINITION OF WILDERNESS(c) A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions and which (1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM--EXTENT OF SYSTEMSEC. 3. (a) All areas within the national forests classified at least 30 days before the effective date of this Act by the Secretary of Agriculture or the Chief of the Forest Service as "wilderness", "wild", or "canoe" are hereby designated as wilderness areas. The Secretary of Agriculture shall-(1) Within one year after the effective date of this Act, file a map and legal description of each wilderness area with the Interior and Insular Affairs Committees of the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, and such descriptions shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act: Provided, however, That correction of clerical and typographical errors in such legal descriptions and maps may be made.(2) Maintain, available to the public, records pertaining to said wilderness areas, including maps and legal descriptions, copies of regulations governing them, copies of public notices of, and reports submitted to Congress regarding pending additions, eliminations, or modifications. Maps, legal descriptions, and regulations pertaining to wilderness areas within their respective jurisdictions also shall be available to the public in the offices of regional foresters, national forest supervisors, and forest rangers.(b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall, within ten years after the enactment of this Act, review, as to its suitability or nonsuitability for preservation as wilderness, each area in the national forests classified on the effective date of this Act by the Secretary of Agriculture or the Chief of the Forest Service as "primitive" and report his findings to the President. The President shall advise the United States Senate and House of Representatives of his recommendations with respect to the designation as "wilderness" or other reclassification of each area on which review has been completed, together with maps and a definition of boundaries. Such advice shall be given with respect to not less than one-third of all the areas now classified as "primitive" within three years after the enactment of this Act, not less than two-thirds within seven years after the enactment of this Act, and the remaining areas within ten years after the enactment of this Act. Each recommendation of the President for designation as "wilderness" shall become effective only if so provided by an Act of Congress. Areas classified as "primitive" on the effective date of this Act shall continue to be administered under the rules and regulations affecting such areas on the effective date of this Act until Congress has determined otherwise. Any such area may be increased in size by the President at the time he submits his recommendations to the Congress by not more than five thousand acres with no more than one thousand two hundred and eighty acres of such increase in any one compact unit; if it is proposed to increase the size of any such area by more than five thousand acres or by more than one thousand two hundred and eighty acres in any one compact unit the increase in size shall not become effective until acted upon by Congress. Nothing herein contained shall limit the President in proposing, as part of his recommendations to Congress, the alteration of existing boundaries of primitive areas or recommending the addition of any contiguous area of national forest lands predominantly of wilderness value. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may complete his review and delete such area as may be necessary, but not to exceed seven thousand acres, from the southern tip of the Gore Range-Eagles Nest Primitive Area, Colorado, if the Secretary determines that such action is in the public interest.(c) Within ten years after the effective date of this Act the Secretary of the Interior shall review every roadless area of five thousand contiguous acres or more in the national parks, monuments and other units of the national park system and every such area of, and every roadless island within, the national wildlife refuges and game ranges, under his jurisdiction on the effective date of this Act and shall report to the President his recommendation as to the suitability or nonsuitability of each such area or island for preservation as wilderness. The President shall advise the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of his recommendation with respect to the designation as wilderness of each such area or island on which review has been completed, together with a map thereof and a definition of its boundaries. Such advice shall be given with respect to not less than one-third of the areas and islands to be reviewed under this subsection within three years after enactment of this Act, not less than two-thirds within seven years of enactment of this Act, and the remainder within ten years of enactment of this Act. A recommendation of the President for designation as wilderness shall become effective only if so provided by an Act of Congress. Nothing contained herein shall, by implication or otherwise, be construed to lessen the present statutory authority of the Secretary of the Interior with respect to the maintenance of roadless areas within units of the national park system.(d) (1) The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall, prior to submitting any recommendations to the President with respect to the suitability of any area for preservation as wilderness-(A) give such public notice of the proposed action as they deem appropriate, including publication in the Federal Register and in a newspaper having general circulation in the area or areas in the vicinity of the affected land;(B) hold a public hearing or hearings at a location or locations convenient to the area affected. The hearings shall be announced through such means as the respective Secretaries involved deem appropriate, including notices in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the area: Provided, That if the lands involved are located in more than one State, at least one hearing shall be held in each State in which a portion of the land lies;(C) at least thirty days before the date of a hearing advise the Governor of each State and the governing board of each county, or in Alaska the borough, in which the lands are located, and Federal departments and agencies concerned, and invite such officials and Federal agencies to submit their views on the proposed action at the hearing or by no later than thirty days following the date of the hearing.(2) Any views submitted to the appropriate Secretary under the provisions of (1) of this subsection with respect to any area shall be included with any recommendations to the President and to Congress with respect to such area.(e) Any modification or adjustment of boundaries of any wilderness area shall be recommended by the appropriate Secretary after public notice of such proposal and public hearing or hearings as provided in subsection (d) of this section. The proposed modification or adjustment shall then be recommended with map and description thereof to the President. The President shall advise the United States Senate and the House of Representatives of his recommendations with respect to such modification or adjustment and such recommendations shall become effective only in the same manner as provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.USE OF WILDERNESS AREASSEC.4. (a) The purposes of this Act are hereby declared to be within and supplemental to the purposes for which national forests and units of the national park and national wildlife refuge systems are established and administered and-(1) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to be in interference with the purpose for which national forests are established as set forth in the Act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat. 11), and the Multiple Use Sustained-Yield Act of June 12, 1960 (74 Stat. 215).(2) Nothing in this Act shall modify the restrictions and provisions of the Shipstead-Nolan Act (Public Law 539, Seventy first Congress, July 10, 1930; 46 Stat. 1020), the Thye-Blatnik Act (Public Law 733, Eightieth Congress, June 22, 1948; 62 Stat. 568), and the Humphrey-Thye-Blatnik-Andresen Act (Public Law 607, Eighty-fourth Congress, June 22, 1956; 70 Stat. 326), as applying to the Superior National Forest or the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture.(3) Nothing in this Act shall modify the statutory authority under which units of the national park system are created. Further, the designation of any area of any park, monument, or other unit of the national park system as a wilderness area pursuant to this Act shall in no manner lower the standards evolved for the use and preservation of such park, monument, or other unit of the national park system in accordance with the Act of August 25, 1916, the statutory authority under which the area was created, or any other Act of Congress which might pertain to or affect such area, including, but not limited to, the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225; 16 U.S.C. 432 et seq.); section 3(2) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796(2)): and the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666; 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, each agency administering any area designated as wilderness shall be responsible for preserving the wilderness character of the area and shall so administer such area for such other purposes for which it may have been established as also to preserve its wilderness character. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, wilderness areas shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historical use.PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN USES(c) Except as specifically provided for in this Act, and subject to existing private rights, there shall be no commercial enterprise and no permanent road within any wilderness area designated by this Act and, except as necessary to meet minimum requirements for the administration of the area for the purpose of this Act (including measures required in emergencies involving the health and safety of persons within the area), there shall be no temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area.SPECIAL PROVISIONS(d) The following special provisions are hereby made:(1) Within wilderness areas designated by this Act the use of aircraft or motorboats, where these uses have already become established, may be permitted to continue subject to such restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture deems desirable. In addition, such measures may be taken as may be necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases, subject to such conditions as the Secretary deems desirable.(2) Nothing in this Act shall prevent within national forest wilderness areas any activity, including prospecting, for the purpose of gathering information about mineral or other resources, if such activity is carried on in a manner compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment. Furthermore, in accordance with such program as the Secretary of the Interior shall develop and conduct in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, such areas shall be surveyed on a planned, recurring basis consistent with the concept of wilderness preservation by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present; and the results of such surveys shall be made available to the public and submitted to the President and Congress.(3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, until midnight December 31, 1983, the United States mining laws and all laws pertaining to mineral leasing shall, to the same extent as applicable prior to the effective date of this Act, extend to those national forest lands designated by this Act as "wilderness areas"; subject, however, to such reasonable regulations governing ingress and egress as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture consistent with the use of the land for mineral location and development and exploration, drilling, and production, and use of land for transmission lines, waterlines, telephone lines, or facilities necessary in exploring, drilling, producing, mining, and processing operations, including where essential, the use of mechanized ground or air equipment and restoration as near as practicable of the surface of the land disturbed in performing prospecting, location, and, in oil and gas leasing, discovery work, exploration, drilling, and production, as soon as they have served their purpose. Mining locations lying within the boundaries of said wilderness areas shall be held and used solely for mining or processing operations and uses reasonably incident thereto; and hereafter, subject to valid existing rights, all patents issued under the mining laws of the United States affecting national forest lands designated by this Act as wilderness areas shall convey title to the mineral deposits within the claim, together with the right to cut and use so much of the mature timber therefrom as may be needed in the extraction, removal, and beneficiation of the mineral deposits, if needed timber is not otherwise reasonably available, and if the timber is cut under sound principles of forest management as defined by the national forest rules and regulations, but each such patent shall reserve to the United States all title in or to the surface of the lands and products thereof, and no use of the surface of the claim or the resources therefrom not reasonably required for carrying on mining or prospecting shall be allowed except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act: Provided, That, unless hereafter specifically authorized, no patent within wilderness areas designated by this Act shall issue after December 31, 1983, except for the valid claims existing on or before December 31, 1983. Mining claims located after the effective date of this Act within the boundaries of wilderness areas designated by this Act shall create no rights in excess of those rights which may be patented under the provisions of this subsection. Mineral leases, permits, and licenses covering lands within national forest wilderness areas designated by this Act shall contain such reasonable stipulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture for the protection of the wilderness character of the land consistent with the use of the land for the purposes for which they are leased, permitted, or licensed. Subject to valid rights then existing, effective January 1, 1984, the minerals in lands designated by this Act as wilderness areas are withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral leasing and all amendments thereto.(4) Within wilderness areas in the national forests designated by this Act, (1) the President may, within a specific area and in accordance with such regulations as he may deem desirable, authorize prospecting for water resources, the establishment and maintenance of reservoirs, water-conservation works, power projects, transmission lines, and other facilities needed in the public interest, including the road construction and maintenance essential to development and use thereof, upon his determination that such use or uses in the specific area will better serve the interests of the United States and the people thereof than will its denial; and (2) the grazing of livestock, where established prior to the effective date of this Act, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations as are deemed necessary by the secretary of Agriculture.(5) Other provisions of this Act to the contrary notwithstanding, the management of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, formerly designated as the Superior, Little Indian Sioux, and Caribou Roadless Areas, in the Superior National Forest. Minnesota, shall be in accordance with regulations established by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the general purpose of maintaining, without unnecessary restrictions on other uses, including that of timber, the primitive character of the area, particularly in the vicinity of lakes, streams, and portages: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall preclude the continuance within the area of any already established use of motorboats.(6) Commercial services may be performed within the wilderness areas designated by this Act to the extent necessary for activities which are proper for realizing the recreational or other wilderness purposes of the areas.(7) Nothing in this Act shall constitute an express or implied claim or denial on the part of the Federal Government as to exemption from State water laws.(8) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the several States with respect to wildlife and fish in the national forests.STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS WITHIN WILDERNESS AREASSEC. 5. (a) In any case where State-owned or privately owned land is completely surrounded by national forest lands within areas designated by this act as wilderness, such State or private owner shall be given such rights as may be necessary to assure adequate access to such State-owned or privately owned land by such State or private owner and their successors in interest, or the State-owned land or privately owned land shall be exchanged for federally owned land in the same State of approximately equal value under authorities available to the Secretary of Agriculture: Provided, however, That the United States shall not transfer to a State or private owner any mineral interests unless the State or private owner relinquishes or causes to be relinquished to the United States the mineral interest in the surrounded land.(b) In any case where valid mining claims or other valid occupancies are wholly within a designated national forest wilderness area, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, by reasonable regulations consistent with the preservation of the area as wilderness, permit ingress and egress to such surrounded areas by means which have been or are being customarily enjoyed with respect to other such areas similarly situated.(c) Subject to the appropriation of funds by Congress, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to acquire privately owned land within the perimeter of any area designated by this Act as wilderness if (1) the owner concurs in such acquisition or (2) the acquisition is specifically authorized by Congress.GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND CONTRIBUTIONSSEC. 6. ( a ) The Secretary of Agriculture may accept gifts or bequests of land within wilderness areas designated by this Act for preservation as wilderness. The Secretary of Agriculture may also accept gifts or bequests of land adjacent to wilderness areas designated by this Act for preservation as wilderness if he has given sixty days advance notice thereof to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Land accepted by the Secretary of Agriculture under this section shall become part of the wilderness area involved. Regulations with regard to any such land may be in accordance with such agreements, consistent with the policy of this Act, as are made at the time of such gift, or such conditions, consistent with such policy, as may be included in, and accepted with, such bequest.(b) The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept private contributions and gifts to be used to further the purposes of this Act.ANNUAL REPORTSSEC. 7. At the opening of each session of Congress, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior shall jointly report to the President for transmission to Congress on the status of the wilderness system, including a list and descriptions of the areas in the system, regulations in effect, and other pertinent information, together with any recommendations they may care to make.Approved September 3, 1964.Legislative History:House Reports:No. 1538 accompanying H.R. 9070 (Committee on Interior & Insular Affairs)No. 1829 (Committee of Conference).Senate Report:No. 109 (Committee on Interior & Insular Affairs).Congressional Record:Vol. 109 (1963):April 4, 8, considered in Senate.April 9, considered and passed Senate.Vol. 110 (1964):July 28, considered in House.July 30, considered and passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 9070.August 20, House and Senate agreed to conference report.
Postby Plays In The Dirt » Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:28 am I'm putting my things, pick - shovel - detector - etc. together right now. Thanks for sharing this Jim, I'm sure that it will clear-up any misconceptions people may have.Greg - (aka - PITD)
Postby Jim Hatt » Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:51 am It would be nice if it did Greg, but I am sure there will be some die-hard non-believers that won't accept it. I started this topic so I would have a place to send people to, when they started arguing that there have been no mining claims in the Superstitions since it became a Wilderness Area, or that if someone found the LDM they couldn't file a claim on it. JimP.S. Wasn't it YOU that taught me that CTRL/ROLL/ZOOM trick that can be used in the middle of a post?
Postby Plays In The Dirt » Sat Jul 25, 2009 12:07 pm Yep! Works great doesn't it?Greg Top
Postby Jim Hatt » Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:13 pm Not only works great, but it also works great on other websites too!
Postby Jim Hatt » Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:44 am Plays In The Dirt wrote:I'm putting my things, pick - shovel - detector - etc. together right now. Thanks for sharing this Jim, I'm sure that it will clear-up any misconceptions people may have.Greg - (aka - PITD)Don't gather up too much stuff Greg. You can only carry so much in a backpack, and there are no vehicles allowed in Wilderness Areas. (Even if you were able to establish a valid mining claim in one of them)
Postby MMM » Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:21 pm From The Wilderness Society concerning NEW mining claims in a wilderness. http://www.friendsoftheinyo.org/web-con ... and_a.htmlMike, the "Friends of the Inyo" are neither Law Makers or enforcers. Nothing in their propaganda should be taken as "THE LAW". Notice how the blue highlighted statement begins below. "To my knowledge". JimWhat about mining?"Once an area is designated Wilderness it is closed to new mining claims. Work on valid claims established prior to Wilderness designation may continue."To my knowledge only claims which were grandfathered, that is existed prior to the desgnation of wilderness may continue.From the BLM and current CFRs (code of Federal Regulations)Forget BLM stuff. They are not stewards of Wilderness Areas. Although they are "partners" with the Forest Service. (the Bureau of Land Management joined the Forest Service. NPS. and Fish and Wildlife Service as a partner in wilderness review and management) they do not get involved with wilderness problems and disputes. They refer everyone to the Forest Service.The only Law we should be concerned with for the purpose of this topic should be.Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S. C. 1131-1136)88th Congress, Second SessionSeptember 3, 1964AN ACTThis is the highest level Governing Document that all lower level documents must conform to. I am aware of the fact that not all of them do. That is a common problem. When the legality of a lower level document document is disputed, the Governing Document (Being the LAW) has to be reviewed to determine the w"WORDING" vs "INTENT" of the LAW. Often the lower level document has to be revised to be in conformance with the "LAW". Unless someone disputes it, it never gets reviewed and revised.Jim§ 6302.15 When and how may I collect or disturb natural resources such as rocks and plants in wilderness areas?http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... 09.2.201.6(a) You may remove or disturb natural resources for non-commercial purposes in wilderness areas, including prospecting, provided—(1) You do it in a manner that preserves the wilderness environment, using no more than non-motorized hand tools and causing minimal surface disturbance; and(2)(i) Your proposed activity conforms to the applicable management plan; or(ii) You have a BLM authorization if one is required by statute or regulation.(b) Where BLM allows campfires in a wilderness, you may gather a reasonable amount of wood for use in your campfire.Mike
Postby MMM » Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:32 pm More BLM rules.One more time Mike. Forget about the BLM where Wilderness Areas are concerned.Jimhttp://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... 09.2.201.6§ 6304.10 Mining law administration. top§ 6304.11 What special provisions apply to operations under the mining laws? topThe general mining laws apply to valid existing mining claims and mill sites within BLM wilderness, except as provided in this section.(a) After the date on which the general mining laws cease to apply to a specific wilderness area—(1) You cannot locate a mining claim or establish any right to or interest in any mineral deposits discovered in that wilderness area; and(2) You cannot locate a mill site in that wilderness area.(b) If you hold a valid existing mining claim or mill site within a wilderness area—(1) You must conduct any mining operations following the applicable standards provided in—(i) The Wilderness Act;(ii) The legislation designating the wilderness;(iii) Your approved plan of operations;(iv) Subpart 3809 of this chapter; and(v) Subpart 3715 of this chapter;(2) You must minimize impairment of wilderness characteristics to the extent BLM determines practicable, consistent with the use of a valid claim or site for mineral activities; and(3) Your temporary structures used in mining operations are subject to the use and occupancy regulations in subpart 3715 of this chapter.(4) You must post a financial guarantee under subpart 3809 of this chapter in order to ensure completion of reclamation.(c) If you hold a valid mining claim, mill site, or tunnel site located in any BLM wilderness area before the general mining laws ceased to apply to that area, you may maintain your mining claim or site, so long as you comply with the general mining laws, the regulations in part 3830 of this chapter, and the Act of Congress designating the wilderness.(d) As required in your approved plan of operations, when you complete mining operations in a wilderness area—(1) You must remove all structures, equipment, and other facilities and begin reclamation as soon as feasible after mining operations end. However, you must start reclamation no later than 18 months after mining operations end.(2) You must restore the surface as near as practicable to the appearance and contour of the surface before mining operations began, following the regulations in subpart 3809 of this chapter.(e)–(f) [Reserved]§ 6304.12 How will BLM determine the validity of unpatented mining claims or sites? top(a) BLM will conduct a mineral examination to determine whether your claim or site was valid as of the date that lands within the wilderness area were withdrawn from appropriation under the mining laws. We also will determine whether your claim or site remains valid at the time of the examination.(1) If you do not have an approved plan of operations, BLM must complete this validity determination before approving your plan of operations.(2) If you have a plan of operations that was approved before the wilderness designation, BLM will determine whether operations may begin or continue while we conduct the validity determination.(b) If BLM concludes that your mining claim lacks a discovery of a valuable mineral deposit or your claim or site is invalid for any other reason, we will disapprove your application for a plan of operations. For an existing approved operation, BLM may issue a notice ordering suspension or cessation of operations. We will begin contest proceedings to determine the validity of your mining claim or site under subpart E of part 4 of this title. However, you may take samples and gather other evidence to confirm or corroborate mineral exposures that were physically disclosed on the claim before the date the wilderness area was withdrawn.(c) If the Department of the Interior issues a final administrative decision declaring your claim or site null and void, you must cease all operations and complete all reclamation required under subpart 3809 of this chapter and §6304.11(d) of this part.I hope this post stays as it is viable and real law.Mike
Postby MMM » Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:43 pm One final post on this issue. http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/ ... -crs-353:1This document is not a LAW. It is only a POLICY & RULES document. Everything in it is debatable as being contradictory with the WORDING & INTENT of the "Wilderness Act".Mining in National Parks and Wilderness Areas: Policy, Rules, ActivityDuane A. ThompsonAnalyst in Energy and Minerals PolicyEnvironment and Natural Resources Policy DivisionFebruary 12, 1996 JimGenerally, Congress permitted mineral-related activities in designated wilderness areas for 20 years following the enactment of the Wilderness Act in 1964. During that period, new mineral rights could be established. However, following December 31, 1983, new mineral rights could no longer be established, although Congress did permit prospecting in designated wilderness areas. (9) Valid existing mineral rights, some of which may have been established during the 20-year grace period, may still be exercised and developed in designated areas, subject to reasonable regulations to protect the wilderness character of the lands. (10)Some literature asserts that mining in wilderness areas is an extremely complex legal issue, and that regulating exploration and mining activities is site-specific. (11) Maintaining the unspoiled character of wilderness can be especially confounded in the East, where the mineral estate has often been split from the surface estate. (12) Although the surface of a wilderness may be under the authority of a particular agency, the subsurface rights may have been severed and reside in private ownership. In these instances, a question of access for mineral development often arises. The Federal agencies generally cannot deny access to privately held mineral estate, but can regulate mineral activities to varying degrees.Congress has generally pursued a situational approach and has adopted several approaches to mineral development. Congress has sought either to accommodate mineral development by drawing the boundaries of the wilderness to exclude highly-mineralized, potentially-developable areas or to avoid development by acquiring mining rights through purchase or exchange. The following Table 3. identifies wilderness areas and/or laws that contain special provisions on mining. As noted, no ongoing mining operations are currently occurring in wilderness areas.Please keep this post. Mike
Postby Jim Hatt » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:11 am Mike,I'm not sure where you're heading with this, but I'm listening.Jim