Putting Minerals Into Perspective
To put the minerals program into perspective, consider the relative amounts of land used in mining operations nationwide. Approximately 6 million acres are used by active and inactive operations out of the total land area in the United States of about 2.2 billion acres. This figure represents less than one percent of the total land area. By comparison, other examples of land use in the United States include 88 million acres of wildlife refuges, 35 million acres of designated wilderness areas, 32 million acres of highways, 77 million acres of National Parks and Monuments, 950 million acres of agricultural land, and 78 million acres of urban areas.
The federal government manages 36 percent of Colorado's 66 million surface acres and more than 41 percent of the mineral estate. Of the 27 million acres of federal minerals managed by the BLM in Colorado, about 20,000 acres are presently occupied by active mineral operations.
Mineral Production
Mineral development is an important land use within BLM s multiple-use program. Mineral production on public land in Colorado involves three distinct categories: locatable, leasable, and salable minerals.
Locatable
Location involves minerals like gold and silver under the general mining laws, such as the Mining Law of 1872. Miners locate claims to acquire mineral rights.
Leasable
Oil and gas, coal, geothermal, sodium, and other similar minerals are available through mineral leasing. Leases are issued for specific periods of time, and the lessee pays a rental fee and royalties on the minerals produced.
Salable
Common sand, gravel, and other construction and landscaping materials are available through material sales at fair market value or through free use permits and government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
BLM Colorado mineral materials program 2006 accomplishments:
- Total number of permits: 105
- Commercial Pits: 25
- Community Pits: 12
- Common Use Areas: 18
- Free Use Permits: 36
- Total number of contracts issued: 580
- Mineral materials produced, including free use permits: 462,000 cubic yards
- Mineral materials total value, including free use permits: $472,000