With a general Plan Of Operation each plan is limited to 1000 cubic yards of significant disturbance normally. This may or may not be strictly enforced depending on the area & the minerals administrator. We actually have one in process through the FS in conjunction with the county where it is 3500 cubic yards at one of the locations. It all depends. We have 3 others that are 1000 cubic yards each with two of them nearly beside each other & we can add more as needed. Sometimes this depends on how much ground you have to work with. The bond gets transferred to each new plan as reclamation is completed & approved by the FS. Drilling may require a POO or may not as it is specific to each location & project. Once you go into bigger disturbance you are getting into larger Mining Plans Of Operation. Regardless of what you are doing you will need a reclamation bond & plan in place except some small scale drilling projects may get a pass. In all of this I am referring to placer projects. If you are on FS ground the FS will make the call.
Sounds like this is dependent on the insurance bond more than anything else. Many small scale operations will be far less then the 1000 cubic yards unless the "Mineral Survey" points out the real size of the "Deposit". A "Mineral Survey" will establish the exact size of the "Mineral deposit" not a "Insurance bond" in a 'Court of Law'.
There is less "Significant disturbance" after one is "Mining the mineral deposit" itself. The "Location" is separate from the "Mineral Survey", "Mineral deposit", "Lode line" in a 'Court of Law'.
The "Drill holes" is a element of a "Mineral Survey".
Don't know of anyone doing a "Fire assay" on a "Placer deposit" do you?
The "Drill holes" is also a form of 'Prospecting / Discovery' of the "Mineral deposit" both "Placer and rock".
If one is sampling the
entire 'Drill hole' may determine the real reason for no "POO". For example one could pay to have some "Fire assays" done on each "Drill hole". One step better is to have the entire drill hole crushed and processed for example and no "POO" is needed because it is "Within" the scope of a "Discovery / prospecting / Mineral Survey"
Ask what
"Authority" does a FS "Minerals administrator" have over a
"Mineral Survey / Discovery"?
The Bond has a lot to due with the "Public surface Location" requirements and little to due with the "Mineral Survey / Discovery".
"After the admission of the States into the Union the United States continued to hold title to the unappropriated lands and to
administer its public-land laws with reference thereto". This is the reason for the "Insurance Bond".
Ask yourself why for example on the Gold Rush show they follow the grid pattern maps of drill holes before making a "Cut"?
A separate question to ask is:
Was the land disposed of by U.S. Congress to the people of Territory of ________? If so what impact may this have on "Un-Appropriated Lands"?
Locatable Minerals
https://www.fs.fed.us/geology/locatable_minerals.html
Mining in National Forests
Mining in National Forests: Paper that gives background information on the Forest Service's mining policy.
Notice of Intent Instructions: Information to determine if the level of proposed disturbance for a mining operation will require a Plan of Operations and a detailed environmental analysis.
Plan of Operations Form (FS-2800-5): Form for conducting mining operations under the general mining laws in national forests.
Training Guide for Reclamation Bond Estimation and Administration: Requirements for reclamation and bonding for mineral operations on National Forest System lands.
Policies and Regulations
36 CFR 228 Subpart A: Forest Service regulations
for locatable minerals operations and surface management.
FSM 2810: Forest Service manual section for mining claims and mineral operations on National Forest System lands.
Training Guide for Reclamation Bond Estimation and Administration: Requirements for reclamation and bonding for mineral operations on National Forest System lands.
FSM 2810: Forest Service Manual section for mining claims and mineral operations on National Forest System Lands.
