Frequently Asked Questions
TOPICS
ANSWERS
From Mineral Exploration to Mining
1) What are leasable hardrock minerals? Hardrock minerals include base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and precious or semi-precious gemstones, for example: gold, silver, copper, nickel, platinum, and palladium. 43 CFR §3501.5. Hardrock minerals are available for prospecting and development in national forests in Minnesota under special mineral leasing laws and are not subject to the Mining Law of 1872 or the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920.
2) What is a prospecting permit? A prospecting permit for hardrock minerals gives a permit holder (permittee) the exclusive right to explore for hardrock mineral deposits in Federally-managed areas. The permittee may only remove material needed to demonstrate the existence of a valuable mineral deposit. If the permittee demonstrates the discovery of a valuable deposit of the leasable mineral for which BLM issued the permit, the BLM may issue a preference right lease to that permittee without competition.
3) What is preference right lease? A preference right lease is an exclusive right and privilege to explore, drill, mine, extract, remove, beneficiate, concentrate, or otherwise process and dispose of the mineral deposits on Federally-managed land. BLM may issue a preference right lease in Superior National Forest where the applicant has demonstrated discovery of a valuable deposit of a leasable mineral.
4) Is a preference right lease the same as a permit to mine? No. A preference right lease grants the leaseholder an exclusive right to the minerals. The holder of a valid preference right lease must submit a proposed mine plan of operation before mining. The proposed plan is subject to further environmental review and approval. Guidance for mining operations is provided at 43 CFR Part 3590.
5) How do the various leasable hardrock mineral applications relate together? The regulations at 43 CFR Part 3500 outline a process to allow an applicant to mine federal minerals. Click here to see a graphic of the process, explained as follows: The applicant must complete each step to move onto the next step. An applicant may choose to not complete all steps. If the applicant chooses to not complete every step, or the BLM concludes that the applicant has not completed all requirements, then mining will not occur. For leasable hardrock minerals the process goes as follows:
9) When did the BLM issue Preference Right Mineral Leases MNES 01352 and 01353? The BLM originally issued preference right mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 in 1966 for a 20-year term, and renewed them in 1989 and 2004 for 10-year terms each. The time between the renewal periods was used for resource analysis. An application is pending for a third lease renewal.
10) Why did the BLM previously terminate hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on December 15, 2016? The BLM previously terminated the leases because the Forest Service did not consent to renew the lease. The BLM requested consent from the Forest Service based upon a Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Opinion (M-37036), that concluded the leaseholder did not have a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal. Following a public process, the Forest Service issued a decision denying consent. The BLM in turn issued a decision rejecting the renewal application and terminated the leases.
11) Why did the BLM reinstate the hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on May 2, 2018 and what is their status? On December 22, 2017, the Office of the Solicitor re-examined the previous Solicitor’s Opinion and issued a new legal opinion (M-37049) which reversed and replaced the prior solicitor opinion. The December 2017 opinion concluded that the analysis in the 2016 opinion was incorrect and that the original 1966 leases gave the lessee a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal. On May 2, 2018, the BLM issued a decision that rescinded the prior decision to terminate the leases and also reinstated the leases and the application for lease renewal. The BLM is preparing an environmental assessment to analyze the impacts of proposed new lease stipulations. The environmental assessment will be made available for a 30-day public comment period.
12) Why is there a high level of interest regarding minerals management within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota? The Maturi Deposit, located in Lake County Minnesota contains one of the world's largest undeveloped deposits of copper, nickel, and strategic metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. These strategic metals are essential elements needed for the manufacture of batteries, electronics, and for the aerospace and defense industries. interest in this area is high, with approximately 48 pending applications (mostly prospecting permits) and concerns about protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which lies within the same watershed to the north.
Public Participation, Environmental Review, and Decision-Making
13) What is the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970? The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, also known as NEPA, requires the Federal Government to take a hard look at the impacts to the human environment of a proposed project. NEPA and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality require that decision-makers be informed of the environmental consequences of their decisions (40 CFR 1505.1) and to analyze the environmental impacts along with social, economic, technical or national security interests before making their decision. NEPA does not require the decisionmaker to select the environmentally preferable alternative or to prohibit adverse environmental effects. For more information on NEPA please visit https://ceq.doe.gov/.
14) What is the difference between an environmental assessment (EA) and an environmental impact statement (EIS)? A Federal agency must prepare an EIS if it is proposing to undertake a major federal action that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment (40 CFR 1502). The regulatory requirements for an EIS are more detailed than the requirements for an EA. An EA analyzes a proposal to determine if the Federal agency can move forward with a Finding of No Significant Impact. If an agency cannot reach a finding of no significant impact, then an EIS must be prepared before going forward with the project. (40 CFR 1508.9).
15) How can I participate in the NEPA process? Your comments are valuable and help BLM make more informed decisions. During the NEPA process, BLM will notify the public of potential ways to comment via the eplanning website. During different phases of a project there will be different opportunities for participation and comment offered to the public. To learn more about how to make effective comments, please see the CEQ’s “A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA: Having your Voice Heard”. You may access this document at https://www.energy.gov/nepa/downloads/citizens-guide-nepa-having-your-voice-heard-ceq-2007.
16) Will I get to vote on whether BLM should approve the project or not? NEPA is an informed decision making process. Votes are not taken but comments can be made by any citizen during published public comment periods. Your comments help the BLM to make more informed decisions, and all comments are considered.
17) What will the BLM do with my comments? Your comments help to better inform the BLM when making decisions. Comments that are received during the timeframes of the public involvement periods will be considered during the decision making process. Well developed comments can influence BLM’s decision. To learn more on providing useful comments as a part of the NEPA process, please see the see the CEQ’s “A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA: Having your Voice Heard.” You may access this document at: https://www.energy.gov/nepa/downloads/citizens-guide-nepa-having-your-voice-heard-ceq-2007 . A summary of the public comments received and how the BLM addressed the comments will be made available on ePlanning.
18) Why are these projects not covered under one big NEPA document? The ability to mine is a highly speculative and cost-intensive endeavor. At the leasing stage, the BLM may analyze the general impacts and risks of mining within the leased area, and may have the benefit of the lessee’s conceptual mine plan, but the analysis will be necessarily general. At the permitting stage, however, the lessee will provide the BLM with details about when, where, what, and how it will conduct its operations, allowing for more detailed analysis. The BLM will evaluate each application, and based on the information provided and the NEPA analysis, the BLM will make a decision whether to approve or reject the application. However, to ensure that the decision-maker is well informed, the BLM considers all known or reasonably foreseeable projects within the area in the cumulative effects analysis of an EIS or EA.
19) What is a cumulative impact analysis? A cumulative effects analysis helps the decision maker determine if smaller projects and smaller impacts may add up to a significant impact. The analysis evaluates past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future projects that have the potential to have overlapping effects dependent upon time and space. The combined effects of relevant projects are then evaluated to determine if they are significant. To learn more visit: https://ceq.doe.gov/publications/cumulative_effects.html.
20) What is the difference between a discretionary and a non-discretionary action? A discretionary action is a proposed action that a Federal Agency has authority to approve or to disapprove. A non-discretionary action is something that the Federal Agency perform or approve, although the agency may have authority to impose certain conditions of approval. For example, Solicitor Opinion M-37049 concluded that hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and 01353 were valid existing rights, and that the leaseholder has a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal, subject to adjustment of the lease terms and conditions.
21) What is the US Forest Service’s role? Who is the decision-maker? The Forest Service is the Surface Management Agency. The Forest Service administers the Federal surface estate within the Superior National Forest and is responsible for issuing all surface use permits. The BLM administers the mineral estate and is responsible for issuing mineral permits and leases. Both the BLM and the Forest Service are decision-makers for mineral actions. For Forest Service surface lands, the Forest Service must grant consent before the BLM may issue a permit or lease, except in cases of a non-discretionary action.
The BLM Mineral Segregation
22) What is a mineral segregation? For a limited period of time, specified Federal minerals may be closed to proposed mineral actions, except for valid existing rights.
23) What is the status of the mineral segregation that the BLM initiated by means of a Federal Register notice on January 19, 2017? The mineral segregation terminates January 19, 2019, two-years after the BLM published the Federal Register notice announcing the mineral segregation. The BLM may not issue new mineral leases or permits within the Rainy River Watershed until after January 19, 2019, except for valid existing rights and other non-discretionary actions, such as renewal of hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353.
Acid Mine Drainage
24) What is acid mine drainage? Rocks containing an abundance of sulfide minerals and exposed to weathering (e.g. crushed rock exposed to rainwater), can contaminate the water with high acidity and toxic metals (e.g. copper or iron). If allowed to runoff into the surrounding watershed, this acidic and toxic water (with a noticeable yellow or orange color) can result in serious negative effects to streams and aquatic environments.
25) Does acid mine drainage occur at all mines? The amount and severity of acid mine drainage is dependent upon the amount of pyrite, a sulfur bearing mineral, in exposed rock and the types of bacteria in the mine. Not all mines will impact the environment in the same way because different mines occur on sites with different levels of pyrite and with different types of bacteria present. Acid mine drainage can be mitigated and controlled in a variety of circumstances with thoughtful mining and environmental practices. BLM will use site specific information to analyze the potential environmental impacts, and to evaluate mitigation options.
26) How will the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness be protected from acid mine drainage? The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, established in 1964 and further defined in 1978, is located within the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota. If a proposed mine plan is submitted, the BLM would evaluate the mining methodologies and assess the extent to which exposure of the rock to weathering properties such as water and air are minimized, the extent to which the flow of rock and rock materials from the site are controlled, and the BLM would work with the company to introduce mitigation measures to protect all resources. ***More information would be added as available.
From Mineral Exploration to Mining
1) What are leasable hardrock minerals?
2) What is a prospecting permit?
3) What is preference right lease?
4) Is a preference right lease the same as a permit to mine?
5) How do the various leasable hardrock mineral applications relate together?
6) At which steps will NEPA occur?
7) Are applications for hardrock mineral permits and leases subject to environmental review and conformance with the approved Forest Service Land and Resource Management Plan?
8) What is the Bureau of Land Management’s authority to issue hardrock mineral permits and leases for federally administered hardrock minerals within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota?
9) When did the BLM issue Preference Right Mineral Leases MNES 01352 and 01353?
10) Why did the BLM previously terminate hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on December 15, 2016?
11) Why did the BLM reinstate the hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on May 2, 2018 and what is their status?
12) Why is there a high level of interest regarding minerals management within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota?
Public Participation, Environmental Review, and Decision-Making
13) What is the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970?
14) What is the difference between an environmental assessment (EA) and an environmental impact statement (EIS)?
15) How can I participate in the NEPA process?
16) Will I get to vote on whether BLM should approve the project or not?
17) What will the BLM do with my comments?
18) Why are these projects not covered under one big NEPA document?
19) What is a cumulative impact analysis?
20) What is the difference between a discretionary and a non-discretionary action?
21) What is the US Forest Service’s role? Who is the decision-maker?
The BLM Mineral Segregation
22) What is a mineral segregation?
23) What is the status of the mineral segregation that the BLM initiated by means of a Federal Register notice on January 19, 2017?
Acid Mine Drainage
24) What is acid mine drainage?
25) Does acid mine drainage occur at all mines?
26) How will the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness be protected from acid mine drainage?
1) What are leasable hardrock minerals?
2) What is a prospecting permit?
3) What is preference right lease?
4) Is a preference right lease the same as a permit to mine?
5) How do the various leasable hardrock mineral applications relate together?
6) At which steps will NEPA occur?
7) Are applications for hardrock mineral permits and leases subject to environmental review and conformance with the approved Forest Service Land and Resource Management Plan?
8) What is the Bureau of Land Management’s authority to issue hardrock mineral permits and leases for federally administered hardrock minerals within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota?
9) When did the BLM issue Preference Right Mineral Leases MNES 01352 and 01353?
10) Why did the BLM previously terminate hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on December 15, 2016?
11) Why did the BLM reinstate the hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on May 2, 2018 and what is their status?
12) Why is there a high level of interest regarding minerals management within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota?
Public Participation, Environmental Review, and Decision-Making
13) What is the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970?
14) What is the difference between an environmental assessment (EA) and an environmental impact statement (EIS)?
15) How can I participate in the NEPA process?
16) Will I get to vote on whether BLM should approve the project or not?
17) What will the BLM do with my comments?
18) Why are these projects not covered under one big NEPA document?
19) What is a cumulative impact analysis?
20) What is the difference between a discretionary and a non-discretionary action?
21) What is the US Forest Service’s role? Who is the decision-maker?
The BLM Mineral Segregation
22) What is a mineral segregation?
23) What is the status of the mineral segregation that the BLM initiated by means of a Federal Register notice on January 19, 2017?
Acid Mine Drainage
24) What is acid mine drainage?
25) Does acid mine drainage occur at all mines?
26) How will the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness be protected from acid mine drainage?
ANSWERS
From Mineral Exploration to Mining
1) What are leasable hardrock minerals? Hardrock minerals include base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and precious or semi-precious gemstones, for example: gold, silver, copper, nickel, platinum, and palladium. 43 CFR §3501.5. Hardrock minerals are available for prospecting and development in national forests in Minnesota under special mineral leasing laws and are not subject to the Mining Law of 1872 or the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920.
2) What is a prospecting permit? A prospecting permit for hardrock minerals gives a permit holder (permittee) the exclusive right to explore for hardrock mineral deposits in Federally-managed areas. The permittee may only remove material needed to demonstrate the existence of a valuable mineral deposit. If the permittee demonstrates the discovery of a valuable deposit of the leasable mineral for which BLM issued the permit, the BLM may issue a preference right lease to that permittee without competition.
3) What is preference right lease? A preference right lease is an exclusive right and privilege to explore, drill, mine, extract, remove, beneficiate, concentrate, or otherwise process and dispose of the mineral deposits on Federally-managed land. BLM may issue a preference right lease in Superior National Forest where the applicant has demonstrated discovery of a valuable deposit of a leasable mineral.
4) Is a preference right lease the same as a permit to mine? No. A preference right lease grants the leaseholder an exclusive right to the minerals. The holder of a valid preference right lease must submit a proposed mine plan of operation before mining. The proposed plan is subject to further environmental review and approval. Guidance for mining operations is provided at 43 CFR Part 3590.
5) How do the various leasable hardrock mineral applications relate together? The regulations at 43 CFR Part 3500 outline a process to allow an applicant to mine federal minerals. Click here to see a graphic of the process, explained as follows: The applicant must complete each step to move onto the next step. An applicant may choose to not complete all steps. If the applicant chooses to not complete every step, or the BLM concludes that the applicant has not completed all requirements, then mining will not occur. For leasable hardrock minerals the process goes as follows:
The applicant applies for a prospecting permit.
If the applicant receives the permit, it may conduct exploration and drilling to gather data. The data helps determine if there is a valuable mineral deposit.
The applicant may submit the data to the BLM with an application for a Preference Right Lease and includes a conceptual mine plan.
If the BLM approves the Preference Right Lease, the lessee may conduct additional exploration and/or submit a mining plan of operation
If a Mining Plan of Operation is submitted and BLM approves it, the lessee may begin mining.
The applicant may submit the data to the BLM with an application for a Preference Right Lease and includes a conceptual mine plan.
If the BLM approves the Preference Right Lease, the lessee may conduct additional exploration and/or submit a mining plan of operation
If a Mining Plan of Operation is submitted and BLM approves it, the lessee may begin mining.
6) At which steps will NEPA occur? The BLM complies with NEPA at every step of the leasing and mineral development process that requires the BLM to issue a decision. The BLM works in coordination with the surface management agency (e.g. US Forest Service) to assesses the economic and environmental feasibility of issuing a hardrock mineral lease.
7) Are applications for hardrock mineral permits and leases subject to environmental review and conformance with the approved Forest Service Land and Resource Management Plan? Yes, hardrock mineral permits and leases are subject to environmental review. These laws guide agencies in how to analyze and determine the impacts of federal agency action, including:
7) Are applications for hardrock mineral permits and leases subject to environmental review and conformance with the approved Forest Service Land and Resource Management Plan? Yes, hardrock mineral permits and leases are subject to environmental review. These laws guide agencies in how to analyze and determine the impacts of federal agency action, including:
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, as amended,
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended;
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended;
The Clean Water Act of 1972; and
The Clean Air Act of 1970.
The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended;
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended;
The Clean Water Act of 1972; and
The Clean Air Act of 1970.
- The Forest Service complied with those laws and others to develop the Superior National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan which analyzed and established resource management goals for the Superior National Forest.
9) When did the BLM issue Preference Right Mineral Leases MNES 01352 and 01353? The BLM originally issued preference right mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 in 1966 for a 20-year term, and renewed them in 1989 and 2004 for 10-year terms each. The time between the renewal periods was used for resource analysis. An application is pending for a third lease renewal.
10) Why did the BLM previously terminate hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on December 15, 2016? The BLM previously terminated the leases because the Forest Service did not consent to renew the lease. The BLM requested consent from the Forest Service based upon a Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Opinion (M-37036), that concluded the leaseholder did not have a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal. Following a public process, the Forest Service issued a decision denying consent. The BLM in turn issued a decision rejecting the renewal application and terminated the leases.
11) Why did the BLM reinstate the hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353 on May 2, 2018 and what is their status? On December 22, 2017, the Office of the Solicitor re-examined the previous Solicitor’s Opinion and issued a new legal opinion (M-37049) which reversed and replaced the prior solicitor opinion. The December 2017 opinion concluded that the analysis in the 2016 opinion was incorrect and that the original 1966 leases gave the lessee a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal. On May 2, 2018, the BLM issued a decision that rescinded the prior decision to terminate the leases and also reinstated the leases and the application for lease renewal. The BLM is preparing an environmental assessment to analyze the impacts of proposed new lease stipulations. The environmental assessment will be made available for a 30-day public comment period.
12) Why is there a high level of interest regarding minerals management within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota? The Maturi Deposit, located in Lake County Minnesota contains one of the world's largest undeveloped deposits of copper, nickel, and strategic metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. These strategic metals are essential elements needed for the manufacture of batteries, electronics, and for the aerospace and defense industries. interest in this area is high, with approximately 48 pending applications (mostly prospecting permits) and concerns about protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which lies within the same watershed to the north.
Public Participation, Environmental Review, and Decision-Making
13) What is the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970? The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, also known as NEPA, requires the Federal Government to take a hard look at the impacts to the human environment of a proposed project. NEPA and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality require that decision-makers be informed of the environmental consequences of their decisions (40 CFR 1505.1) and to analyze the environmental impacts along with social, economic, technical or national security interests before making their decision. NEPA does not require the decisionmaker to select the environmentally preferable alternative or to prohibit adverse environmental effects. For more information on NEPA please visit https://ceq.doe.gov/.
14) What is the difference between an environmental assessment (EA) and an environmental impact statement (EIS)? A Federal agency must prepare an EIS if it is proposing to undertake a major federal action that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment (40 CFR 1502). The regulatory requirements for an EIS are more detailed than the requirements for an EA. An EA analyzes a proposal to determine if the Federal agency can move forward with a Finding of No Significant Impact. If an agency cannot reach a finding of no significant impact, then an EIS must be prepared before going forward with the project. (40 CFR 1508.9).
15) How can I participate in the NEPA process? Your comments are valuable and help BLM make more informed decisions. During the NEPA process, BLM will notify the public of potential ways to comment via the eplanning website. During different phases of a project there will be different opportunities for participation and comment offered to the public. To learn more about how to make effective comments, please see the CEQ’s “A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA: Having your Voice Heard”. You may access this document at https://www.energy.gov/nepa/downloads/citizens-guide-nepa-having-your-voice-heard-ceq-2007.
16) Will I get to vote on whether BLM should approve the project or not? NEPA is an informed decision making process. Votes are not taken but comments can be made by any citizen during published public comment periods. Your comments help the BLM to make more informed decisions, and all comments are considered.
17) What will the BLM do with my comments? Your comments help to better inform the BLM when making decisions. Comments that are received during the timeframes of the public involvement periods will be considered during the decision making process. Well developed comments can influence BLM’s decision. To learn more on providing useful comments as a part of the NEPA process, please see the see the CEQ’s “A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA: Having your Voice Heard.” You may access this document at: https://www.energy.gov/nepa/downloads/citizens-guide-nepa-having-your-voice-heard-ceq-2007 . A summary of the public comments received and how the BLM addressed the comments will be made available on ePlanning.
18) Why are these projects not covered under one big NEPA document? The ability to mine is a highly speculative and cost-intensive endeavor. At the leasing stage, the BLM may analyze the general impacts and risks of mining within the leased area, and may have the benefit of the lessee’s conceptual mine plan, but the analysis will be necessarily general. At the permitting stage, however, the lessee will provide the BLM with details about when, where, what, and how it will conduct its operations, allowing for more detailed analysis. The BLM will evaluate each application, and based on the information provided and the NEPA analysis, the BLM will make a decision whether to approve or reject the application. However, to ensure that the decision-maker is well informed, the BLM considers all known or reasonably foreseeable projects within the area in the cumulative effects analysis of an EIS or EA.
19) What is a cumulative impact analysis? A cumulative effects analysis helps the decision maker determine if smaller projects and smaller impacts may add up to a significant impact. The analysis evaluates past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future projects that have the potential to have overlapping effects dependent upon time and space. The combined effects of relevant projects are then evaluated to determine if they are significant. To learn more visit: https://ceq.doe.gov/publications/cumulative_effects.html.
20) What is the difference between a discretionary and a non-discretionary action? A discretionary action is a proposed action that a Federal Agency has authority to approve or to disapprove. A non-discretionary action is something that the Federal Agency perform or approve, although the agency may have authority to impose certain conditions of approval. For example, Solicitor Opinion M-37049 concluded that hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and 01353 were valid existing rights, and that the leaseholder has a non-discretionary right to a third lease renewal, subject to adjustment of the lease terms and conditions.
21) What is the US Forest Service’s role? Who is the decision-maker? The Forest Service is the Surface Management Agency. The Forest Service administers the Federal surface estate within the Superior National Forest and is responsible for issuing all surface use permits. The BLM administers the mineral estate and is responsible for issuing mineral permits and leases. Both the BLM and the Forest Service are decision-makers for mineral actions. For Forest Service surface lands, the Forest Service must grant consent before the BLM may issue a permit or lease, except in cases of a non-discretionary action.
The BLM Mineral Segregation
22) What is a mineral segregation? For a limited period of time, specified Federal minerals may be closed to proposed mineral actions, except for valid existing rights.
23) What is the status of the mineral segregation that the BLM initiated by means of a Federal Register notice on January 19, 2017? The mineral segregation terminates January 19, 2019, two-years after the BLM published the Federal Register notice announcing the mineral segregation. The BLM may not issue new mineral leases or permits within the Rainy River Watershed until after January 19, 2019, except for valid existing rights and other non-discretionary actions, such as renewal of hardrock mineral leases MNES 01352 and MNES 01353.
Acid Mine Drainage
24) What is acid mine drainage? Rocks containing an abundance of sulfide minerals and exposed to weathering (e.g. crushed rock exposed to rainwater), can contaminate the water with high acidity and toxic metals (e.g. copper or iron). If allowed to runoff into the surrounding watershed, this acidic and toxic water (with a noticeable yellow or orange color) can result in serious negative effects to streams and aquatic environments.
25) Does acid mine drainage occur at all mines? The amount and severity of acid mine drainage is dependent upon the amount of pyrite, a sulfur bearing mineral, in exposed rock and the types of bacteria in the mine. Not all mines will impact the environment in the same way because different mines occur on sites with different levels of pyrite and with different types of bacteria present. Acid mine drainage can be mitigated and controlled in a variety of circumstances with thoughtful mining and environmental practices. BLM will use site specific information to analyze the potential environmental impacts, and to evaluate mitigation options.
26) How will the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness be protected from acid mine drainage? The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, established in 1964 and further defined in 1978, is located within the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota. If a proposed mine plan is submitted, the BLM would evaluate the mining methodologies and assess the extent to which exposure of the rock to weathering properties such as water and air are minimized, the extent to which the flow of rock and rock materials from the site are controlled, and the BLM would work with the company to introduce mitigation measures to protect all resources. ***More information would be added as available.