2016 BLM budget & proposals

[AMC]

IT WILL AFFECT BOTH PLACER AND LODE CLAIMS

Read this to see how it will affect you. New Mineral claims become leases which may affect their status as "Real Property", New leases subject to 5% or greater royalty. Elimination of Small Miners Waiver. Increase in existing mining claim fees.

Hardrock Mining Reform – The 2016 budget includes two legislative proposals to reform hardrock mining on public and private lands by addressing abandoned mine land hazards and providing a better return to the taxpayer from hardrock production on Federal lands. The first component of this reform addresses abandoned hardrock mines across the Nation through a new Aban-doned Mine Lands fee on hardrock production. Just as the coal industry is held responsible for abandoned coal sites, the Administration proposes to hold the hardrock mining industry responsible for the remediation of abandoned hardrock mines. The legislative proposal will levy an AML fee on uranium and metallic mines on both public and private lands. The proposed AML fee on the produc-tion of hardrock minerals will be charged on the volume of material displaced after January 1, 2016. The receipts will be split between Federal and non-Federal lands. The Secretary will disperse the share of non-Federal funds to each State and Tribe based on need. Each State and Tribe will select its own priority projects using established national criteria. The proposed hardrock AML fee and reclamation program will operate in parallel with the coal AML reclamation program as part of a larger effort to ensure the Nation’s most dangerous abandoned coal and hardrock AML sites are addressed by the industries that created the problems.

The second legislative proposal institutes a leasing pro-cess under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 for certain minerals—gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, uranium, and molybdenum—currently covered by the General Mining Law of 1872. After enactment, mining for these metals on Federal lands will be governed by the new leasing process and subject to annual rental payments and a royalty of not less than five percent of gross proceeds. Half of the receipts will be distributed to the States in which the leases are located and the remaining half will be deposited in the Treasury. Existing mining claims will be exempt from the change to a leasing system. The proposal also increases the annual maintenance fees under the General Mining Law of 1872 and eliminates the fee exemption for miners holding ten or fewer min-ing claims. These changes will discourage speculators from holding claims that they do not intend to develop. Holders of existing mining claims for these minerals could voluntarily convert their claims to leases. The Office of Natural Resources Revenue will collect, account for, and disburse the hardrock royalty receipts

[AMC]

Here's a link to the proposals.

http://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2016/highlights/upload/BH007.pdf

Scroll down to page BH-12

[Gold Seeker]

IT WILL AFFECT BOTH PLACER AND LODE CLAIMS

Read this to see how it will affect you. New Mineral claims become leases which may affect their status as "Real Property", New leases subject to 5% or greater royalty. Elimination of Small Miners Waiver. Increase in existing mining claim fees.

Hardrock Mining Reform – The 2016 budget includes two legislative proposals to reform hardrock mining on public and private lands by addressing abandoned mine land hazards and providing a better return to the taxpayer from hardrock production on Federal lands. The first component of this reform addresses abandoned hardrock mines across the Nation through a new Aban-doned Mine Lands fee on hardrock production. Just as the coal industry is held responsible for abandoned coal sites, the Administration proposes to hold the hardrock mining industry responsible for the remediation of abandoned hardrock mines. The legislative proposal will levy an AML fee on uranium and metallic mines on both public and private lands. The proposed AML fee on the produc-tion of hardrock minerals will be charged on the volume of material displaced after January 1, 2016. The receipts will be split between Federal and non-Federal lands. The Secretary will disperse the share of non-Federal funds to each State and Tribe based on need. Each State and Tribe will select its own priority projects using established national criteria. The proposed hardrock AML fee and reclamation program will operate in parallel with the coal AML reclamation program as part of a larger effort to ensure the Nation’s most dangerous abandoned coal and hardrock AML sites are addressed by the industries that created the problems.

The second legislative proposal institutes a leasing pro-cess under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 for certain minerals—gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, uranium, and molybdenum—currently covered by the General Mining Law of 1872. After enactment, mining for these metals on Federal lands will be governed by the new leasing process and subject to annual rental payments and a royalty of not less than five percent of gross proceeds. Half of the receipts will be distributed to the States in which the leases are located and the remaining half will be deposited in the Treasury. Existing mining claims will be exempt from the change to a leasing system. The proposal also increases the annual maintenance fees under the General Mining Law of 1872 and eliminates the fee exemption for miners holding ten or fewer min-ing claims. These changes will discourage speculators from holding claims that they do not intend to develop. Holders of existing mining claims for these minerals could voluntarily convert their claims to leases. The Office of Natural Resources Revenue will collect, account for, and disburse the hardrock royalty receipts

I have been looking at this since it first came out along with many others, where does it say that it will affect placer claims, it plainly says "hardrock mining and hardrock claims", many people are very concerned if that is indeed a fact that it will also affect placer claims, I think it is a fact but I, nor others can't find it in the written words of this budget proposal?

[AMC]

The first paragraph specifically says hardrock mining reform. The next paragraph simply says "The second legislative proposal...........", and mentions Hardrock mining royalty in the last line which should have been in the first paragraph, but simple covers.....all mining claims.

THIS IS WHAT IS COMING DOWN THE PIPE:

1. All new claims will be governed by a lease.

2. There will be a royalty on that lease of not less than 5% of the GROSS proceeds.

3. The proposal will increase the maintenance fees of all existing mining claims.

4. It will eliminate the Small Miners Waiver for 10 claims or less and be subject to the increased annual maintenance fee.

There is no mention of placer or lode claim in the second paragraph, just mining claim which includes placer, lode, tunnel, and mill sites.

If they intended to only affect lode claims, the would specifically state--LODE CLAIMS aka hardrock claims.

I am certain that it will include all claims.

[boulder dash]

Very bad new it's just another expansion of govt power and massive tax on the producers. Going to have to start looking at other countries..

[AMC]

I don't think looking at other countries is the best option. I think it's time to take back this one. I've been to other countries and the grass is not greener. I haven't seen this posted anyplace else. Share it where you can and lets see if we can get it stopped.