Once again it looks like we have non-miners attempting to rewrite the mining laws. What does patenting have to do with cleanups? Zip, zero and nada!!! Patents have been stopped for some time now so that's pretty much a non-issue.
Current regulations require a bond for reclamation already. Maintenance fees are already paid and now they want to add a land rental charge on top of that? Then let's go and charge a royalty on all minerals removed. Sounds to me like they're trying to make it so unprofitable to do hard rock mining that no one will want to do it because it would be a loosing proposition no matter how rich the deposit.
Is there a problem with some of the abandoned mines? Of course there is. Do they need work to clean them up? Yes. Is this the way to get the problem taken care of? No way Jose! Especially if groups like EarthWorks, the Sierra Fund and the Center for Bio-Diversity want to help write the new laws.
spin it anyway you want, how do youi cut your own throat and blame others sick Mo Fo
