Did you know that thanks to the General Mining Law of 1872 mining companies pay $0 in federal royalties to mine hardrock minerals (like copper) on U.S. public lands.
What they do pay are claim maintenance fees of $165 a year per claim. There is also a one-time initial location fee of $40-$55.
An estimated $300–$500 million worth of minerals are extracted from public lands annually without royalty payments. The U.S. is the only major mining country with no federal royalty on hardrock minerals. Most countries collect between 3% and 10% of either gross revenues or net profits as royalties.
It’s no wonder why our public lands are under attack.
Credit: Gib Crockett
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