An Act to establish a national mining and minerals policy
PL 91-631 (S.719), enacted 12/31/1970

1876 
December 31,1970 
[S.719] 
Mining and 
Minerals Policy 
Act of 1970. 
•'Minerals." 
Report to Con-
gress. 
PUBLIC LAW 91-631-DEC. 31, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Public Law 91-631 
AN ACT 
To establish a national mining and minerals policy. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of Amenca in Congress assembled^ That this Act may 
be cited as the "Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970", 
SEC. 2. The Congress declares that it is the continuing policy of the 
Federal Government in the national interest to foster and encourage 
private enterprise in (1) the development of economically sound and 
stable domestic mining, minerals, metal aiiid mineral reclamation 
industries, (2) the orderly and economic development of domestic 
mineral resources, reserves, and reclamation of metals and minerals 
to help assure satisfaction of industrial, security and environmental 
needs, (3) mining, mineral, and metallurgical research, including the 
use and recycling of scrap to promote the wise and efficient use of our 
natural and reclaimable mineral resources, and (4) the study and 
development of methods for the disposal, control, and reclamation of 
mineral waste products, and the reclamation of mined land, so as to 
lessen any adverse impact of mineral extraction and processing upon 
the physical environment that may result from mining or mineral 
activities. 
For the purpose of this Act "minerals" shall include all minerals 
and mineral fuels including oil, gas, coal, oil shale and uranium. 
It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior to 
carry out this policy when exercising his authority under such pro-
grams as may be authorized by law other than this Act. For this 
purpose the Secretary of the Interior shall include in his annual report 
to the Congress a report on the state of the domestic mining, minerals, 
and mineral reclamation industries, including a statement of the trend 
in utilization and depletion of these resources, together with such rec-
ommendations for legislative programs as may be necessary to 
implement the policy of this Act. 
Approved December 31, 1970. 
December 31,1970 
[H.J. Res. 1162] 
Public Law 91-632 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
To amend Public Law 403, Eightieth Congress, of January 28, 1948, providing for 
membership and participation by the United States in the South Pacific Com-
mission. 
South Pacific 
Commission. 
U.S. participEi-
tion. 
79 Stat. 281. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress asseniMed, That section 3(a) of Public 
Law 403, Eightieth Congress, entitled "Joint resolution providing for 
membership and participation by the L^nited States in the South Pacific 
Commission and authorizing an appropriation therefor" as amended 
(22 U.S.C. 280b) is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"(a) such sums as may be required annually not to exceed 
$250,000 per fiscal year for the payment by the United States of its 
proportionate share of the expenses of the Commission and its 
auxiliary and subsidiary bodies, in accordance with article X I V 
of the agreement establishing the South Pacific Commission, as 
amended." 
Approved December 31, 1970.