Biden Administration Proposing Mining Law Changes That Include Collecting Royalties

     The Biden administration is recommending changes to the 151-year-old law that governs mining for copper, gold and other hardrock minerals on federally-owned lands, including making companies pay royalties on what they extract. 

      Under terms of an 1872 law, the U.S. does not collect royalties on minerals extracted from federal lands. The Biden plan would impose royalties of 4% to 8% on hardrock minerals.

    A plan released earlier this month by the Interior Department also calls for the creation of a mine-leasing system and coordination of permitting efforts among a range of federal agencies. 

     The White House has been pushing to boost domestic mining for minerals needed for electric vehicles, solar panels and other clean energy.  The proposal needs approval by Congress, but is strongly opposed by Republicans.

       Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources panel, says Biden was “taking a sledgehammer to affordable, reliable energy.”

       Barrasso says the proposed mining reforms “will force us to buy more critical minerals” from China and other countries that use forced or child labor “instead of harnessing our abundant resources here at home.”