Minerals Management

Mineral defined: a naturally occurring substance (as ore, petroleum, or water) obtained usually from the ground

Our chief goals are to restore ecosystems and watersheds affected by past mining practices; to provide the geologic expertise and scientific information necessary for sustained forest management and for watershed health and restoration; to manage and protect paleontological resources; and to manage the vast and diverse mineral resources of the national forest in a fashion that ensures sustained ecosystems and maintains healthy watersheds. Exploration, development, and production of mineral and energy resources and reclamation of activities are part of the Forest Service ecosystem management responsibility. The Forest Service will administer its minerals program to provide commodities for current and future generations commensurate with the need to sustain the long term health and biological diversity of ecosystems..

Policy

National Minerals Policy Statement: To foster and encourage mineral development on National Forest System lands in an ecologically sound manner

Sustainable Minerals Development: Joint statement of support between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

Programs

Critical Minerals: Find information regarding critical minerals from proposed or operating mines.

Energy Leasable Minerals: Find the Forest Service's Energy Implementation Plan, geophysical forms, energy regulations, and links to the White House National Energy Policy, and Bureau of Land Management energy information.

Locatable Minerals: Find the Forest Service surface management regulations, plan of operations form, notice of intent instructions, and mineral production annual summaries.

Mineral Material and Salable Minerals: Find links to mineral materials sales contract, mineral material annual production, Forest Service mineral regulations and manual sections.

Reserved and Outstanding Minerals: Forest Service manual section and Secretarial orders related to private and reserved mineral estates.

Further Information

Information for prospective buyers of unpatented mining claims located on National Forest System Lands. It is important for any prospective buyer to understand what an unpatented mining claim is and what the rights of an owner of an unpatented mining claimant are.

Minerals Inventories of National Forest System Lands: Link to the Forest Service Minerals and Geology Inventory hosted on the Ouachita National Forest Web Page.

Anatomy of A Mine: From Prospect to Production. Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report INT-GTR-35 Revised, February 1995. Reviews mining laws and regulations and their application to mining in Western States. Describes prospecting, exploration, mine development and operation, and reclamation factors.

Training Guide for Reclamation Bond Estimation and Administration: Requirements for reclamation and bonding for mineral operations on National Forest System lands