PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2002-2006)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 12, 2008
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 2008 - Applies this Act to any mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim: (1) located under the general mining laws; or (2) used for beneficiation or mineral processing activities, regardless of whether legal and beneficial title to the mineral is held by the United States.
Subjects production of locatable minerals from any mining claim, including mineral concentrates or products derived from such minerals, to a royalty of 8% of the gross income from mining.
Imposes a 4% royalty upon federal lands subject to an existing operations permit and producing valuable locatable minerals in commercial quantities.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Establishes a civil penalty for failure to comply with royalty requirements, including underreporting.
Requires a hardrock mining claim maintenance fee and a location fee for each unpatented mining claim, mill, or tunnel site on federally owned lands, whether located before, on, or after enactment of this Act.
Establishes a fee for transfer of ownership of an unpatented mining claim, mill, or tunnel site.
Requires each operator of a hardrock minerals mining operation to pay a reclamation fee of 0.3 % of the gross income of the hardrock minerals mining operation for each calendar year.
Establishes the Abandoned Mine Cleanup Fund for reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by past mineral activities on certain federal lands. Requires deposit in the Fund of all royalties, fees, and civil penalties.
People & committees
Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2002-2006)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2001-2002)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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