1. The Legislature hereby finds that: (a) The extraction of minerals by mining is a basic and essential activity making an important contribution to the economy of the State of Nevada; (b) Proper reclamation of mined land, areas of exploration and former areas of mining or exploration is necessary to prevent undesirable land and surface […]
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in NRS 519A.030 to 519A.130, inclusive, have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1281)
“Administrator” means the Administrator of the Division. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1281)
“Affected” means that the surface of the land is or will be disturbed by mining, or that the land will be used: 1. As an evaporation or settling pond, leach dump, placer area or tailings pond or dump; or 2. In conjunction with any structure, facility, equipment, machine, tool, material or property incident to mining. […]
“Commission” means the State Environmental Commission. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1281)
“Division” means the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1281)
“Exploration project” means all activities conducted in this state by a person on or beneath the surface of land for the purpose of, or in connection with, determining the presence, location, extent, depth or grade of any mineral, which affects the surface. The term does not include a small exploration project. (Added to NRS by […]
“Mining operation” means all activities conducted in this state by a person on or beneath the surface of land for the purpose of, or in connection with, the development or extraction of any mineral. The term does not include an aggregate or sand pit or a small mining operation. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1282)
“Operator” means any person who owns, controls or manages an exploration project or a mining operation. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1282)
“Reclamation” means actions performed during or after an exploration project or mining operation to shape, stabilize, revegetate or otherwise treat the land in order to return it to a safe, stable condition consistent with the establishment of a productive postmining use of the land and the abandonment of a facility in a manner which ensures […]
“Small exploration project” means an exploration project which is limited to a surface disturbance of not more than 5 acres in any calendar year. To determine the area of the surface disturbed, all land disturbed and left unreclaimed by an operator within a 1-mile radius of the center of the project must be considered. (Added […]
“Small mining operation” means a person who disturbs less than 5 acres of land in any calendar year. To determine the area of the surface disturbed, all land disturbed and left unreclaimed by an operator within a 1-mile radius of the center of the project must be considered. (Added to NRS by 1989, 1282; A […]
“Surety” means, but is not limited to, a trust fund, surety bonds that guarantee performance or payment into a trust fund, letters of credit, insurance, corporate or other guarantees of performance, or any combination of these or other forms of security approved by the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and […]
The Division shall: 1. Administer and enforce the provisions of NRS 519A.010 to 519A.280, inclusive, and the regulations adopted by the Commission pursuant to NRS 519A.160. 2. Employ persons who are experienced and qualified in the area of reclamation. 3. Enter into a memorandum of understanding with the United States Bureau of Land Management and […]
The Division may: 1. Conduct or authorize investigations, research, experiments and demonstrations relating to reclamation. 2. Collect and disseminate nonconfidential information relating to mining reclamation. 3. Enter into agreements relating to reclamation with other state and federal governmental agencies pursuant to which services relating to reclamation are provided by the Division or a governmental agency […]
The Commission shall adopt regulations: 1. Establishing reasonable fees, based on the actual cost of administration and enforcement, to be charged by the Division for an application for and the issuance of a permit, the rates of which must be set to differentiate between mining operations located on federal land and those operations on state […]
All fees collected by the Division pursuant to this chapter, including, without limitation, the fees for an application for and the issuance of a permit, must be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the appropriate account of the Division and must be used in the administration of NRS 519A.010 to 519A.280, inclusive. All […]
