Mining Law of 1872
”The federal law governing locatable minerals is the Mining Law of 1872 (May 10, 1872), which declared all valuable mineral deposits in land belonging to the United States to be free and open to exploration and purchase. This law provides citizens of the United States the opportunity to explore for, discover, and purchase certain valuable mineral deposits on federal lands that are open for mining location and patent (open to mineral entry).”
https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/mining-and-minerals/about
Why it’s dangerous
This outdated law was written at a time when most mining was done on a small scale by individuals or small companies and damage to the environment was not a major consideration. In the modern era it is a law that is exploited by giant multinational corporations to mine vast areas largely without regulation. It must be amended to reflect modern mining practices and to protect the fragile ecosystems that mining disrupts.
In the News
“As we enter 2024, half of Washington, including the Biden administration, is pushing to scrap the 1872 law while the other half is pushing for a plan that essentially doubles down on it, removing the few existing governmental guardrails. It’s all very Wild West.”