June 10, 2025
Mr. Fallon (for himself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Mineral Extraction for Renewable Industry and Critical Applications Act of 2025
or the MERICA Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Application of Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to hardrock minerals
The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
in section 2 (30 U.S.C. 351)—
(A)
by striking Act
and inserting the following:United States
Act:
(1) United States
The term United States;
(B)
by striking Alaska.
and inserting the following:Acquired lands
Alaska.
(2) Acquired lands; lands acquired by the United States
The term acquired lands;
(C)
by striking 552). “Secretary
and inserting the following:
552).
(3) Secretary
The term Secretary;
(D)
by striking Interior.
and inserting the following:Mineral leasing laws
shall mean
Interior.
(4) Mineral leasing laws
The term mineral leasing laws means;
(E)
by striking Acts.
and inserting the following:Lease
Acts.
(5) Lease
The term lease;
(F)
by striking requires. The term
and inserting the following:
requires.
(6) Oil
The term; and
(G)
by adding at the end the following:
(7) Hardrock mineral
The term hardrock mineral—
(A)
includes deposits of—
(i)
minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks;
(ii)
base metals;
(iii)
precious metals;
(iv)
industrial metals; and
(v)
precious and semi-precious gemstones; and
(B)
does not include deposits of—
(i)
coal;
(ii)
oil;
(iii)
oil shale;
(iv)
gas;
(v)
sodium;
(vi)
potassium;
(vii)
sulfur; or
(viii)
mineral materials subject to disposition under the Act of July 31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).; and
(2)
in section 3 (30 U.S.C. 352), by striking and sulfur
and inserting sulfur, and hardrock minerals
.