MINING PLAN OF OPERATION

[ghostminer]

I have mentioned mining plans of operations in some of my threads. Here is a good example of the process a company goes through to get permitted for operation on Forest Service land. This one happens to be with a very large company named Resolution Copper. Small scale mining plans are easier but still go through the same process. It can take less than a year for a small scale plan to be approved if there are no fatal flaws but the big players can take 10 years or more. My theory for a small company with limited resources is to start small & scale up when profitable.

 

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[Assembler]

Any documents to show?

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Any documents to show?

There's the MPO.

Mine General Plan of Operations | Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange Environmental Impact Statement

 

[Hefty1]

I have mentioned mining plans of operations in some of my threads. Here is a good example of the process a company goes through to get permitted for operation on Forest Service land. This one happens to be with a very large company named Resolution Copper. Small scale mining plans are easier but still go through the same process. It can take less than a year for a small scale plan to be approved if there are no fatal flaws but the big players can take 10 years or more. My theory for a small company with limited resources is to start small & scale up when profitable.

Can you tell us about the process you went through with the USFS?

 

[Goldwasher]

POO are filed and available to the public. You can look up the documents for any approved plan.

You just need to Know what F.S. district or BLM land area.

 

[ghostminer]

Yes, the documents are available on the website. They can be used as they are set up or used as a guideline for your plan. Scaling to larger operations will require a Use Permi or Mine/Reclamation permit which goes through the county as well as the other agencies. Those docs are available through the county you are mining in. They will cost you a minimum of $2000 - $3000 or more just to submit them. Plumas County is $2854.50 + $202 per each permitted acre. I think it may vary county by county. Keeping permitted acreage low also keeps the reclamation bond low. You will also need to pay for all the environmental studies associated with the permit. The most expensive may be the Regional Water Quality Control Board unless you can bypass a discharge permit. By the time you are finished you will be in the tens of thousands of dollars depending on scale & many other factors. That is why I say if you are considering mining with equipment it is wise to keep the scale of operation small at first, especially if your financial resources are limited. It would be easy to get dragged into a very expensive process with nothing left for mining when you are finished. I think that's why you see so many permitted sites available for lease in some areas.

 

[Goldwasher]

I mean if anyone wants to see what POO's exist and the associated documents. in different forests/counties.

You can get an idea of who is operating and how.

As a guide to your own NOI/POO if someone feels the need to do so for their work.

 

[bug]

A friend of mine got permitted for using a mini excavator on BLM land. His plan of opps was worded to digg up 10'x10' strips, and backfill before starting the next hole. This was a dry operation of digg and detect, or drywash. He was almost immediately approved with an 800ish dollar bond paid. If you can get away from using water in your plan, and keep it small scale, the procedure is so much easier.

 

[ghostminer]

Yes, that is very true. Plumas county has been so dry the last few summers I am tempted to use a drywasher in some of the areas. We are doing numerous small plans & move the bond after each reclamation is complete. Way easier that way. We were able to get away from the discharge permit. We are going to pump water out of a flooded mine shaft for mining purposes. The water authority didn't even require a test because of our location up on a mountain away from the creeks & there was previous mining there in the 1800's. The funny thing is the State archaeologist came out there to look over our various permit sites. There are massive hydraulic tailings all over the place. Some 100 ft deep. We are only permitting virgin ground which was a good thing because he declared the tailing piles archaeologicly significant & we can't touch them. Especially the hand stacked rocks where the old long toms were set up. Can't even roll them out of the way to metal detect them. They are considered historic LOL.

 

[mendoAu]

Using ground water with a settling pond for re-circulation is helpful. No removal/returning water from/to the waterway. Even trucking (water tanker) water in will bypass some hurdles. In Oregon any hope of getting a POO within 300 feet of any waterway is slim to not.

 

[Hefty1]

Yes, the documents are available on the website. They can be used as they are set up or used as a guideline for your plan. Scaling to larger operations will require a Use Permi or Mine/Reclamation permit which goes through the county as well as the other agencies. Those docs are available through the county you are mining in. They will cost you a minimum of $2000 - $3000 or more just to submit them. Plumas County is $2854.50 + $202 per each permitted acre. I think it may vary county by county. Keeping permitted acreage low also keeps the reclamation bond low. You will also need to pay for all the environmental studies associated with the permit. The most expensive may be the Regional Water Quality Control Board unless you can bypass a discharge permit. By the time you are finished you will be in the tens of thousands of dollars depending on scale & many other factors. That is why I say if you are considering mining with equipment it is wise to keep the scale of operation small at first, especially if your financial resources are limited. It would be easy to get dragged into a very expensive process with nothing left for mining when you are finished. I think that's why you see so many permitted sites available for lease in some areas.

So who is your Lead Agency?

 

[Hefty1]

So who is your Lead Agency?

 

[Hefty1]

Wonder why i cant get an answer from this guy?

 

[Assembler]

What is the break down of different size scaled mining operations? Is it in tons of rock or some other break down?

 

[ghostminer]

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.

 

[Assembler]

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.

 

[mendoAu]

Without being specific I know of one POO that has been on Oregon's BLM desk for three years. It's kinda a good thing because the new rules (laws) will not allow motorized equipment in the areas that are on the plans. And we all know that if you don't work it you lose it. Don't know if BLM is in a complex position or what. I do know that on the same claim a NOI would/could probably be granted in a couple of weeks in an area 100 yards from any waterway. And if it's small scale that NOI would allow you somewhat the same ability as a POO.

 

[Assembler]

Without being specific I know of one POO that has been on Oregon's BLM desk for three years. It's kinda a good thing because the new rules (laws) will not allow motorized equipment in the areas that are on the plans. And we all know that if you don't work it you lose it. Don't know if BLM is in a complex position or what. I do know that on the same claim a NOI would/could probably be granted in a couple of weeks in an area 100 yards from any waterway. And if it's small scale that NOI would allow you somewhat the same ability as a POO.

What is the 'Administrative agency' difference between a "POO and a NOI"?
Thanks

Inquire into doubtful points if you wish to understand the law well.
Every jurisdiction has its own bounds.

Rule of Presumption
Rule changes one of burdens of proof, that is, it declares that main fact will be inferred or assumed from some other fact until evidence to contrary is introduced. Black's Law Dictionary 4th ed. page 1497

Locatable Minerals
One of BLM's three broad classifications of minerals. Locatable minerals include but are not limited to, copper, zinc, magnesium, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, bentonite, barite, feldspar, fluorspar, and uranium.
2000
https://thediggings.com/dictionary/locatable-minerals

One thing throws light upon others.

Learned.

 

[Goldwasher]

Still just spitting out nonsense.

Sorry, for those people who actually want to learn

 

[Assembler]

Anyone willing to post links or information about "POO" in regards to tailing rock or wast material upon the surface?
Thank you.