APES
Chapter 14: Geology
Name: ______________________________________
Date______________
I. MINING LAWS:
Match the laws with the correct situation:
A. General Mining Law of 1872
B. Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009
C. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMRCA) of 1977
MINING LAWS
APES: Chapter 14 Geology
Name___________________________ Date_____________
Using the attached list of mining law excerpts, cut them out and match / glue them into the correct mining law
section below.
Mining Laws
General Mining
Law of 1872
Hardrock Mining
and Reclamation
of 2007
Surface Mining
Control and
Reclamation Act
(SMCRA) - 1977
Descriptors
1. Congress passed this act that requires mined areas be returned to their approximate original topography and
The land restored and replanted.
2. This piece of legislation was initially established to use federal land and to promote commerce.
3. Miners can stake claims on federal lands and take any minerals they find. In addition, they only paid $5/acre for land
filled with minerals.
4. Miners can take any ore that they wish without extra payments to the government. The miners can deduct
a “depletion” allowance from their taxes which lowers their taxes as the resources decline in their mines.
5. People were enraged by the fact that miners could “take” all of these minerals without taxation.
6. This is currently the first step of the legislative process and provides the Secretary of the Interior to establish a royalty
rate from 2% to 5% of the value of new mines on federal lands.
7. This act/law pertains to strip-mined lands especially where mines replaced prime farmland.
1. Congress passed this act that requires mined areas be returned to their approximate original topography and
the land restored and replanted.
2. This piece of legislation was initially established to use federal land and to promote commerce.
3. Miners can stake claims on federal lands and take any minerals they find. In addition, they only paid $5/acre for land
filled with minerals.
4. Miners can take any ore that they wish without extra payments to the government. The miners can deduct
a “depletion” allowance from their taxes which lowers their taxes as the resources decline in their mines.
5. People were enraged by the fact that miners could “take” all of these minerals without taxation.
6. This is currently the first step of the legislative process and provides the Secretary of the Interior to establish a royalty
rate from 2% to 5% of the value of new mines on federal lands.
7. This act/law pertains to strip-mined lands especially where mines replaced prime farmland.