"Reformers" Target 1872 Mining Law -- Again

I haven't reported on this subject for a while as, quite frankly, it makes me sick. But now that some sort of legislative action appears imminent, I feel I have a duty to bring it to your attention:

According to an article in the Colorado Independent, Democratic Representative Nick Rahall of West Virginia, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, plans to introduce the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009. Like its predecessors, this bill would levy "a 4 percent royalty on existing mines and an 8 percent royalty on new mines — percentages that are in line with what the coal, oil and gas industries currently pay."

I'm not even going to go into why metal mines are not comparable to coal, oil, and gas operations and therefore should not be treated on the same basis. The galling thing is that the proponents of this measure seem more interested in the APPEARANCE of fairness than in actual fairness. But I guess that's what we should expect from those who practice extortion for a living.

The article also seems to equate the current "royalty-free extraction of gold, uranium and other hard-rock minerals from public lands across the West" allowed by the General Mining Law of 1872 with a $1.6 billion subsidy over the coming decade. Huh? Isn't this like a mugger who doesn't take ALL of your money claiming that he's given you a financial contribution?

Anyway, for those hypotensive souls out there who need to elevate their blood pressure, you can find the above mentioned article at the link here.