(a) Multiple mill sites

Section 2337 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 42) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(c) Additional mill sites

(1) Definitions

In this subsection:

(A) Mill site

The term mill site means a location of public land that is reasonably necessary for waste rock or tailings disposal or other operations reasonably incident to mineral development on, or production from land included in a plan of operations.

(B) Operations; Operator

The terms operations and operator have the meanings given those terms in section 3809.5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection).

(C) Plan of operations

The term plan of operations means a plan of operations that an operator must submit and the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable, must approve before an operator may begin operations, in accordance with, as applicable—

(i)

subpart 3809 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations establishing application and approval requirements); and

(ii)

part 228 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations establishing application and approval requirements).

(D) Public land

The term public land means land owned by the United States that is open to location under sections 2319 through 2344 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 22 et seq.), including—

(i)

land that is mineral-in-character (as defined in section 3830.5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection));

(ii)

nonmineral land (as defined in section 3830.5 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection)); and

(iii)

land where the mineral character has not been determined.

(2) In general

Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), where public land is needed by the proprietor of a lode or placer claim for operations in connection with any lode or placer claim within the proposed plan of operations, the proprietor may—

(A)

locate and include within the plan of operations as many mill site claims under this subsection as are reasonably necessary for its operations; and

(B)

use or occupy public land in accordance with an approved plan of operations.

(3) Mill sites convey no mineral rights

A mill site under this subsection does not convey mineral rights to the locator.

(4) Size of mill sites

A location of a single mill site under this subsection shall not exceed 5 acres.

(5) Mill site and lode or placer claims on same tracts of public land

A mill site may be located under this subsection on a tract of public land on which the claimant or operator maintains a previously located lode or placer claim.

(6) Effect on mining claims

The location of a mill site under this subsection shall not affect the validity of any lode or placer claim, or any rights associated with such a claim.

(7) Patenting

A mill site under this section shall not be eligible for patenting.

(8) Savings provisions

Nothing in this subsection—

(A)

diminishes any right (including a right of entry, use, or occupancy) of a claimant;

(B)

creates or increases any right (including a right of exploration, entry, use, or occupancy) of a claimant on land that is not open to location under the general mining laws;

(C)

modifies any provision of law or any prior administrative action withdrawing land from location or entry;

(D)

limits the right of the Federal Government to regulate mining and mining-related activities (including requiring claim validity examinations to establish the discovery of a valuable mineral deposit) in areas withdrawn from mining, including under—

(i)

the general mining laws;

(ii)

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.);

(iii)

the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.);

(iv)

sections 100731 through 100737 of title 54, United States Code;

(v)

the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);

(vi)

division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ‘National Historic Preservation Act’); or

(vii)

section 4 of the Act of July 23, 1955 (commonly known as the Surface Resources Act of 1955) (69 Stat. 368, chapter 375; 30 U.S.C. 612);

(E)

restores any right (including a right of entry, use, or occupancy, or right to conduct operations) of a claimant that—

(i)

existed prior to the date on which the land was closed to, or withdrawn from, location under the general mining laws; and

(ii)

that has been extinguished by such closure or withdrawal; or

(F)

modifies section 404 of division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118–42).

(b) Abandoned hardrock mine fund

(c) Clerical amendments

Section 10101 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (30 U.S.C. 28f) is amended—