Beach Mining Pilot Program Update

As you may recall from a previous post, last March the governor signed S.B. 6343 establishing a pilot program to allow small scale prospecting and mining on Washington's ocean beaches beginning July 1, 2008.

Thanks to the kindness of Lisa Lantz, Resource Stewardship Manager for the SW Region of Washington State Parks, who supplied a copy of an update report prepared for the Parks Commission on January 22 last, we now have some insight on what has been happening behind the scenes.

According to the report, beginning in May, 2008, State Parks personnel met with WDFW and selected three areas where prospecting would be allowed: "Long Beach – from Ocean Park Ocean Beach Access (OBA) to Klipsan OBA; South Beach – from Bonge OBA to Grayland OBA; and North Beach – from Ocean City OBA to Oyehut OBA."

Subsequently, State Parks received comments that the prospecting areas selected failed to provide freshwater access for miners. As a result, State Parks, in consultation with WDFW, "opened the Iron Springs area, a one-half mile stretch of North Beach, centered on the mouth of Boone Creek," in December.

It should be noted that all participants in the pilot project are required to obtain an HPA from WDFW. Information on applying for an HPA is available from the WDFW web page here. On-line forms and instructions may be found at the One-Stop JARPA Resource Center.

Originally, WDFW limited the equipment miners could use to "motorized pans, non-motorized pans, sluice boxes, mini rocker boxes and non-motorized concentrators." This list was subsequently expanded to include:

Pans; Spiral wheels; Sluices, concentrators, mini rocker boxes, rocker boxes, mini high-bankers with riffle areas totaling 3 square feet or less, including ganged equipment, and high-bankers with riffle areas totaling 10 square feet or less, including ganged equipment; Suction dredges with suction intake nozzle inside diameters no greater than 5-1/4 inches. The inside diameter of the dredge hose attached to the nozzle may be no greater than one inch larger than the suction intake nozzle size; Power sluice/suction dredge combinations with riffle areas totaling 10 square feet or less, including ganged equipment; suction intake nozzle inside diameters no greater than 5-1/4 inches; and pump intake hose inside diameters no greater than 4 inches. The inside diameter of the dredge hose attached to the suction intake nozzle may be no greater than one inch larger than the suction intake nozzle size; and, High-bankers and power sluices with riffle areas totaling 10 square feet or less, including ganged equipment, and pump intake hoses with inside diameters of 4 inches or less.

Furthermore, when miners receive their HPAs, they "also receive maps of the pilot areas and a letter from Parks requesting their cooperation in collecting basic information on the pilot project," including, "where each mining activity occurs, the number of people participating, number of days per activity, quantity of material removed from the beach, type of equipment used, and any difficulties encountered." Miners are also required to "notify WDFW and Parks staff prior to starting work."

According to the report, as of December, 48 people had registered in the North Beach area. The other areas had no reported activity.

For those interested in reading it, the update report for the Parks Commission is available the the link below:

Placer Mining Pilot Program Report.pdf

Radio Program to Discuss Mining Act Tonight

Bruce Beatty, who was one of the stakeholders representing the mining community during the drafting of the forthcoming Gold and Fish Pamphlet (and not to be blamed for the shortcomings thereof!), sends the following information:

This evening 9:00-11:00 PM Central Time: Hal Anthony (host of Behind the Woodshed on RTRRadio.com) is scheduled to be a two hour guest host on Lighting The Fires Of Liberty with host Michael Badnarik.

The show will be focusing on the 1866 Mineral Estate Trust Act/Grant...Understanding its Immense Power, Importance and Availability to all Americans.

http://www.gcnlive.com/Listen_Live.html

Pick a Live Stream on Network 1

P.S. You can contact Mister Anthony for comments, questions, guest appearances, etc @ markonthebeast@yahoo.com

P.S. This is a call in show, so if there are any questions you or others have to the topic, please call and ask. Please pass this info on far and wide.

Given the ugly noises coming out of the current administration and Congress regarding overhaul of the 1872 Mining Law, listening/participating in this broadcast would be a good way to stay informed and educate other listeners.

Thanks, Bruce, for the heads-up.

Ken Salazar on the 1872 Mining Law

I know this is getting old, but I think we need to stay on top of what is going on in the 'other' Washington.

The Q & A with Ken Salazar published at denverpost.com contains the following exchange with the new Interior secretary and former U.S. senator from Colorado regarding reform of the 1872 Mining Law:

The Post: Will you push for reform of the 1872 hard-rock mining law?

Salazar: Any law that has been out there for 136 years and has not been changed needs to be looked at. And in my view, the 1872 mining law is archaic in many ways and needs to be brought into modernity. There are lots of places where the environmental community and the mining community could reach consensus, including issues such as the patenting of public lands and the requirement that fair market value be paid for surface lands that are sometimes now patented as, essentially, giveaways.

The fallacy of "giveaways" of public land through patenting has been addressed so often before on this blog and elsewhere that I won't go into it again. What I find especially disturbing in this exchange, however, is the notion that the 1872 Mining Law needs reforming because it hasn't "been changed" in 136 years. If 'change for the sake of change' is really such a great idea, maybe Mr. Salazar would favor shredding the far older Constitution and Bill of Rights. But, wait! It too often seems that's already been done.

More on the Current 1872 Mining Law Reform Attempt

On Wednesday I published a post concerning the latest attempt in Congress to amend the General Mining Law of 1872.

Those interested in following the progress of the current bill, H.R. 699, may do so by visiting the link here or by checking the new section in the right-hand sidebar titled Legislative Alerts and utilizing the links there.

Additionally, there is another article on this proposed measure appearing in the San Jose Mercury News which is linked here.

Stay tuned.

"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.

New "Gold and Fish Pamphlet" Coming (Slowly)

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has updated their mineral prospecting web page to reflect the upcoming "Gold and Fish pamphlet" containing the new prospecting and mining rules that take effect April 3, 2009. At this time, the essential information is contained in the following two sentences (emphasis added):

1. Because WDFW will publish a new Gold and Fish pamphlet in April 2009 that incorporates new rules adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission on November 8, 2008, WDFW will no longer be printing or distributing copies of the 1999 edition.

2. WDFW is developing the 2009 edition of the Gold and Fish pamphlet and will post it on this page when complete.

Accordingly, you may want to visit "this page" from time to time in order to keep up with the appearance of the new regulations. I shall endeavor to do likewise and post any updates here.

Note (added 1/21/2009): RCW 77.55.091 Small Scale Prospecting and Mining -- Rules states, in part (emphasis added):

(3) Within two months of adoption of the rules, the department shall distribute an updated gold and fish pamphlet that describes methods of mineral prospecting that are consistent with the department's rule....

I was just wondering how this squares with the November 8, 2008 to April something, 2009 time frame for the publication of the new pamphlet? I guess some of us get to play fast and loose with the rules while the rest of us don't?

Happy New Year...

...to all my readers and thank you for following this blog in 2008. Here's wishing all of you a safe and rewarding season in 2009.

Two New Interactive Maps From the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources

The Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources has announced two new applications available through its new Geologic Information Portal.

One application is called The Washington Interactive Geologic Map and "provides access to geologic mapping at several scales, earthquake and tsunami hazard mapping, and earth resource information."

The other application, called Earth Resources Permit Locations, "provides access to oil and gas exploration drillhole locations and surface mine reclamation permit sites."

In addition to base information such as highways, cities and towns, USGS quadrangles, county boundaries, rivers and Public Land Survey data, other layers show geologic features, aerial photography, and site locations. More layers are to be added in the future.

The Geologic Information Portal has been added to the Resources for Prospectors section of the right-hand sidebar.

Commission Appoints Interim WDFW Director

Following up on yesterday's post, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has appointed WDFW deputy director for resource policy Phil Anderson as interim director following the resignation of Dr. Jeffrey P. Koenings.  According to the press release, the Commission will conduct a nation-wide search for a permanent director beginning next year.

The press release is available at the link here.

Koenings Resigns as Director of WDFW

Word has come that the current director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Jeff Koenings, Ph.D., has announced his resignation effective December 11.

As far as I am aware, there is no word yet on a possible successor.

Read the entire press release at the link here.

New Prospecting Rules Adopted by Fish and Wildlife Commission

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced in a news release dated today that the Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the proposed mineral prospecting rules at the meeting in Olympia on November 8. The press release states in part:

Adopted changes include establishing new work times designed to protect fish life, offering additional opportunities for prospectors and expanding the use of certain types of mineral prospecting equipment. The rules, which were developed with input from a 17-member workgroup and the public, become effective April 3, 2009 and are available on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hab/goldfish/mineral_prospect.htm. A new Gold and Fish pamphlet reflecting the changes will be available by that date.

The full text of the announcement can be found at the link here.

Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Meets Saturday to Consider Adoption of New Rules

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet in Olympia on Friday and Saturday (November 7 & 8) to consider adopting permanent amendments to the Gold and Fish Pamphlet. This meeting follows the public hearing held on October 3 at the last Commission meeting, also in Olympia.

Action on the mineral prospecting rules is currently (as of today's agenda revision) scheduled as the third item of business for the Saturday session which begins at 8:30 A.M. It does not appear that public comments will be accepted at this meeting, although WDFW staff members Greg Hueckel and Perry Harvester are listed under the heading, "Staff Report".

Additionally, the agenda contains a link to a "Greensheet and proposed rules" document which contains, among other things, changes to the proposed rules submitted by WDFW as a result of comments received from the public. The proposed changes are too numerous to discuss here, but it is worrisome to this writer that for some of the streams in Kittitas, Pend Oreille, Skagit, and Yakima counties, the originally proposed work window dates have been reduced to "Submit Application" status.

The meeting will be held in Room 172 of the Natural Resource Building, 1111 Washington Street SE, in Olympia.

As changes to the agenda are still possible, interested parties are encouraged to check the latest version at the link here.