Hardrock mining claim maintenance fee

(a) Fee (1) In general (A) Required fees (i) In general Except as provided in section 2511(e)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (30 U.S.C. 242(e)(2)) and as otherwise provided in this Act, for each unpatented mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site on Federal land, whether located before or on the effective date of this Act, each such claimant shall pay to the Secretary, on or before September 1 of each year, a claim maintenance fee of $200 per claim to hold such unpatented mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site for the assessment year beginning at noon the following day. (ii) Fee in place of assessment work A claim maintenance fee paid under clause (i) shall be in lieu of the assessment work requirement in the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.) and the related filing requirements in sections 314(a) and (c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1744(a) and (c)). (B) Fee adjustments Any adjustment to a fee under this subsection made under section 502 shall begin to apply in the first assessment year which begins after the adjustment is made. (C) Exception for small miners Subparagraph (A) and the assessment work requirement in the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.) shall not apply with respect to a small miner’s lease. (2) Reclamation program Moneys received under this subsection that are not otherwise allocated for the administration of this Act by the Secretary shall be made available to carry out, to remain available until expended without fiscal year limitation, the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation Program. (b) Co-Ownership The co-ownership provisions of the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.) shall remain in effect except that the annual claim maintenance fee under subsection (a), where applicable, shall replace applicable assessment requirements and expenditures under that Act. (c) Failure To pay Failure to pay the claim maintenance fee under subsection (a) in a timely manner shall conclusively constitute a forfeiture of the unpatented mining claim, millsite, or tunnel site by the claimant and the claim, millsite, or tunnel site shall be deemed null and void by operation of law. (d) Other requirements (1) Required filings Nothing in this section shall change or modify the requirements of section 314(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1744(b)) or the requirements of section 314(c) of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1744(c)) related to filings required by section 314(b) of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1744(b)), which remain in effect. (2) Mining Law of 1872 Section 2324 of the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 28) is amended by inserting or section 103(a) of the Mining Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Prevention Act of 2025 after Act of 1993.