Trillions of dollars given away. General Mining Act of 1872

[techs]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mining_Law_of_1872
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10...ef=opinion&oref=slogin

A relic from another age, and largely unchanged since President Ulysses S. Grant gave his blessing, the General Mining Law of 1872 is one of the oldest and most destructive statutes on the books. Originally enacted to encourage economic development in the West, the law gives precedence above all other land uses to mining for hard-rock minerals like gold, uranium and copper. It requires no royalties from companies that mine on public lands and contains no environmental safeguards. It has left a sad legacy of abandoned mines, poisoned streams and damaged landscapes throughout the West.

Now, at last, there is real hope for reform. Representative Nick Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat who has been trying to modernize this law for two decades, has persuaded the Natural Resources Committee to approve a major rewrite.

Among other things, his bill would impose royalties of 4 percent of net revenues on existing mines and 8 percent on new mines ? bringing mining nearly into line with the royalties paid by the oil, gas and coal industries for resources extracted from public lands.



Yes, my friends. There are countries that fund their entire governments from the money collected from its natural resources. Yet, the US gives the money away. And the US is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world.
Remember that when you pay your taxes. The corporations are taking YOUR minerals and giving you nothing.

 

[Lemon law]

I agree techs-----good post.

 

[BoberFett]

But, but, but, I thought all the robber barons amassed their wealth without the help of government! You mean big government actually DOES make the rich richer? Imagine that!

But on topic, I fully agree with you. We shouldn't be giving away our resources. This is just another example of the wealthy taking advantage of the government power of force to enrich themselves, and another reason to limit federal power, not expand it.

 

[StageLeft]

I am a stupid person, but I cannot go and set up shop somewhere, I have to buy land. Isnt' that all private companies do and then they take what's on their land?

If this is truly public land, why only 4-8%? Shouldn't the government be using public land to set up its own resource-gathering and take all the royalties?

All citizens of the United States of America who are 18 years of age or older have the constitutional right, under the 1872 mining law, to locate a Lode (Hard Rock) or Placer (Gravels) mining Claim on those federal lands open to mineral entry.

What? So if I was a citizen I could go pick a piece of land that nobody has yet chosen and do whatever I want on it?

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am a stupid person, but I cannot go and set up shop somewhere, I have to buy land. Isnt' that all private companies do and then they take what's on their land?

If this is truly public land, why only 4-8%? Shouldn't the government be using public land to set up its own resource-gathering and take all the royalties?

All citizens of the United States of America who are 18 years of age or older have the constitutional right, under the 1872 mining law, to locate a Lode (Hard Rock) or Placer (Gravels) mining Claim on those federal lands open to mineral entry.

What? So if I was a citizen I could go pick a piece of land that nobody has yet chosen and do whatever I want on it?

Actually, according to law, you couldn't, say, build an environmentally friendly community. However you do have the right to strip mine it for gold, silver, uranium, etc. And not pay the US one red cent. Oh, and you can pollute all you want. The US taxpayer will clean up after you.

 

[Fern]

Thread title should be: "Closing the Barn Doors After the Horses Left, (or How Washington DC Timely Solves Problems).


WTH is left to mine after so many years?

Fern

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Fern
Thread title should be: "Closing the Barn Doors After the Horses Left, (or How Washington DC Timely Solves Problems).


WTH is left to mine after so many years?

Fern

Actually, iirc, the US is still a top producer of many valuable minerals. I wish I had my trusty almanac handy, but the immense mineral wealth of the US is one of the best kept secrets. From its own citizens.

I wonder why?
Could it be that then we would WANT OUR MONEY?

And as the dollar falls in value and demand for mineral resources skyrockets there are still huge amounts of valuable resources that we could reap huge amonts of money from.

 

[StageLeft]

Yeah, there are still plenty of mines in the US. Seems it should get its money, since it owns it. I just assumed that mining took place on private land or was leased with a large amount of royalties.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: techs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mining_Law_of_1872
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10...ef=opinion&oref=slogin

A relic from another age, and largely unchanged since President Ulysses S. Grant gave his blessing, the General Mining Law of 1872 is one of the oldest and most destructive statutes on the books. Originally enacted to encourage economic development in the West, the law gives precedence above all other land uses to mining for hard-rock minerals like gold, uranium and copper. It requires no royalties from companies that mine on public lands and contains no environmental safeguards. It has left a sad legacy of abandoned mines, poisoned streams and damaged landscapes throughout the West.

Now, at last, there is real hope for reform. Representative Nick Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat who has been trying to modernize this law for two decades, has persuaded the Natural Resources Committee to approve a major rewrite.

Among other things, his bill would impose royalties of 4 percent of net revenues on existing mines and 8 percent on new mines ? bringing mining nearly into line with the royalties paid by the oil, gas and coal industries for resources extracted from public lands.



Yes, my friends. There are countries that fund their entire governments from the money collected from its natural resources. Yet, the US gives the money away. And the US is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world.
Remember that when you pay your taxes. The corporations are taking YOUR minerals and giving you nothing.

Pretty ancient law there, obviously still being exploited. Gotta ask the questions though about how the royalties would affect the average Joe Strip Miner and his salary? Hopefully it wouldn't cause mass layoffs or whatnot. However, in principle I agree that they should be paying something for mining on public land and they should definitely have to clean up after themselves.

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Sinsear

Originally posted by: techs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mining_Law_of_1872
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10...ef=opinion&oref=slogin

A relic from another age, and largely unchanged since President Ulysses S. Grant gave his blessing, the General Mining Law of 1872 is one of the oldest and most destructive statutes on the books. Originally enacted to encourage economic development in the West, the law gives precedence above all other land uses to mining for hard-rock minerals like gold, uranium and copper. It requires no royalties from companies that mine on public lands and contains no environmental safeguards. It has left a sad legacy of abandoned mines, poisoned streams and damaged landscapes throughout the West.

Now, at last, there is real hope for reform. Representative Nick Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat who has been trying to modernize this law for two decades, has persuaded the Natural Resources Committee to approve a major rewrite.

Among other things, his bill would impose royalties of 4 percent of net revenues on existing mines and 8 percent on new mines ? bringing mining nearly into line with the royalties paid by the oil, gas and coal industries for resources extracted from public lands.



Yes, my friends. There are countries that fund their entire governments from the money collected from its natural resources. Yet, the US gives the money away. And the US is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world.
Remember that when you pay your taxes. The corporations are taking YOUR minerals and giving you nothing.

Pretty ancient law there, obviously still being exploited. Gotta ask the questions though about how the royalties would affect the average Joe Strip Miner and his salary? Hopefully it wouldn't cause mass layoffs or whatnot. However, in principle I agree that they should be paying something for mining on public land and they should definitely have to clean up after themselves.

You also have to wonder how many of the super rich became that way based on the gift of free American precious resources.
Thank God for the Inheritence Tax.

 

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: techs

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am a stupid person, but I cannot go and set up shop somewhere, I have to buy land. Isnt' that all private companies do and then they take what's on their land?

If this is truly public land, why only 4-8%? Shouldn't the government be using public land to set up its own resource-gathering and take all the royalties?

All citizens of the United States of America who are 18 years of age or older have the constitutional right, under the 1872 mining law, to locate a Lode (Hard Rock) or Placer (Gravels) mining Claim on those federal lands open to mineral entry.

What? So if I was a citizen I could go pick a piece of land that nobody has yet chosen and do whatever I want on it?

Actually, according to law, you couldn't, say, build an environmentally friendly community. However you do have the right to strip mine it for gold, silver, uranium, etc. And not pay the US one red cent. Oh, and you can pollute all you want. The US taxpayer will clean up after you.

Lets say I want to mine in the vicinity of 59th & Broadway. How would I go about making this claim?

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: glugglug

Originally posted by: techs

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am a stupid person, but I cannot go and set up shop somewhere, I have to buy land. Isnt' that all private companies do and then they take what's on their land?

If this is truly public land, why only 4-8%? Shouldn't the government be using public land to set up its own resource-gathering and take all the royalties?

All citizens of the United States of America who are 18 years of age or older have the constitutional right, under the 1872 mining law, to locate a Lode (Hard Rock) or Placer (Gravels) mining Claim on those federal lands open to mineral entry.

What? So if I was a citizen I could go pick a piece of land that nobody has yet chosen and do whatever I want on it?

Actually, according to law, you couldn't, say, build an environmentally friendly community. However you do have the right to strip mine it for gold, silver, uranium, etc. And not pay the US one red cent. Oh, and you can pollute all you want. The US taxpayer will clean up after you.

Lets say I want to mine in the vicinity of 59th & Broadway. How would I go about making this claim?

It's only on Federally owned land.