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Mineral exploration and mining.
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People use those terms together all the time, but they're not the same thing.
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Today, we are breaking down some of the biggest misconceptions about mineral development.
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Because here, we stay grounded in the facts, not the myths.
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There are a lot of misconceptions out there.
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I feel like the new ones pop up every single day.
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Oh, absolutely.
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And it makes sense.
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I mean, mineral development is complicated.
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There are tons of steps, tons of regulations, and it takes real expertise to understand how all the pieces fit together.
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That's why the industry has specialists in permitting environmental regulations, finance, geology.
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The list goes on and on.
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In the intro, you said that exploration and mining are two parts of the mineral development process.
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So what's the actual difference?
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That's a great question.
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And one I honestly get all the time.
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Mineral exploration is exactly what it sounds like.
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Exploring for minerals.
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Exploration is not mining.
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Exploration projects use low-impact sampling methods like rock grabs and soil samples to narrow down areas that might be worth drilling.
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And even when drilling happens, nothing is being extracted for use.
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Core samples are just for scientific analysis.
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Exploration is basically trying to find a mineral deposit where geologists think one might exist.
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Mining, on the other hand, is the process of actually taking valuable minerals out of the earth so they can be used for energy, construction, technology, manufacturing, all the things we rely on in everyday life.
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So exploration is figuring out if there's a deposit and mining is actually extracting it.
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Exactly.
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Exploration is usually the first step, but it doesn't always lead to a discovery.
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In fact, only a small fraction of exploration projects ever make it through discovery, delineation, feasibility, permitting, financing, and construction to become a mine, all while working under tight budgets and permit timelines.
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That means that exploration is not mining, not even close.
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It's like looking for a specific needle in a stack of needles in a field full of
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stacks of needles.
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And you've got one hour to find the right one.
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Yikes, I would not want to do that.
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So what regulations actually govern exploration?
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I know mining has a ton.
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Exploration does too, albeit a fewer, because exploration is considered low impact by many agencies.
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The permitting process is much simpler than permitting a mine, but exploration still has to follow all applicable environmental regulations and drill hole plugging rules.
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In South Dakota, the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources houses the Minerals, Mining, and Superfund Division, which oversees all exploration activities.
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Even on federal lands?
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Yep.
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If a company wants to explore on public or federal lands, they have to apply with the appropriate federal agency and file an exploration notice of intent with the state.
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They have to follow both sets of regulations.
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They also file annual reports, and Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources representatives must be notified when drill holes are plugged so they can be present and make sure everything meets state standards.
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They also monitor reclamation very closely and ultimately have the final say on if anything was reclaimed incorrectly.
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Wow.
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So exploration is definitely regulated very well.
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Oh, definitely.
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What do exploration projects actually bring to the community, though?
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Besides a chance of a discovery, of course.
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That is a great question.
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And they actually bring a lot.
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Exploration projects often run for multiple years.
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They contribute to the local economy, they bring jobs, and they spend money locally.
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Groceries, hardware, fuel, housing, even recreation for their employees.
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And if there's local talent with the skills they need, they hire them.
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I've heard that companies even partner with universities sometimes.
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Oh, absolutely.
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That's how I got my start.
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And I've seen companies sponsor sports teams, host community events, plant trees.
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They really do get involved.
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What about mining projects?
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Well, very similar benefits.
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Mines can operate for years or even decades, supporting not just the immediate community, but surrounding ones too.
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Employees live in the area, shop, recreate, raise families, and companies support local businesses, universities, and community initiatives.
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That's actually so interesting.
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There's a whole ecosystem per se around these projects.
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I love that.
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It is exactly right.
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Something I've always wondered is how much land does mining actually take up in the US?
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Ooh, I love this fact.
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In the US, golf courses take up about 2 million acres of land.
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Mining on federal lands uses about 1.3 million acres, which is only about 0.12% of the total land area of the country.
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So less than golf courses, but still not even 1%?
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Nope.
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Airports and golf courses take up way more land space.
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What about water usage?
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Well, fun fact: according to the USGS, mining operations use about 1% of all water withdrawals in the US.
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And of that 1%, about 72% of that water comes from underground sources, and 28% comes from surface water sources.
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So really not much water at all.
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Well, exactly.
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People often hear water usage numbers in gallons per day, which sounds huge, but without context, gallons per day can be extremely misleading.
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That means that mining doesn't use much land or water when you look at the big picture of things.
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Absolutely correct.
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Okay, last question.
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What is the 1872 mining law and how does it relate to claims on federal lands?
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Oh, that is a great question.
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And let's break it down a little bit further.
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What the law is, what a claim is, and how they connect.
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That sounds good to me.
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So the 1872 mining law was signed on May 10th, 1872.
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Crazy, I know.
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It allows any U.S.
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citizen or company to stake claims and explore for hard rock minerals on available federal lands.
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You said hard rock minerals?
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What are those?
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Yeah, so they're essentially just solid mineral ores, usually metals.
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Okay, now I've got it.
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A mining claim is a specific parcel of public land where someone has the legal right to process, explore, and potentially extract minerals, according to the Bureau of Land Management.
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And staking a claim doesn't mean drilling or mining is happening.
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People often stake multiple claims so they can explore them over time without someone else jumping in first.
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That means that staking more claims gives you more flexibility.
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Exactly.
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And the public can still recreate on those lands.
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Cattle can still graze.
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Staking a claim does not block access.
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It just protects your discovery if you make one.
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That makes sense.
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But how do the law and claims actually tie together?
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The 1872 mining law is what gives citizens the right to stake claims and explore.
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It keeps mineral development open for everyone, not just companies, and not just on private land.
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But modern permitting and environmental regulations still apply to any exploration or mining activity on said lands.
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That means that the law works alongside today's regulations to allow exploration while keeping environmental protections in place.
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Exactly.
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Okay, let me recap to see if I've got this all right.
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Exploration is not mining, and most exploration projects never become mines.
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Mineral development projects support local economies and often partner with universities.
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Mining uses less than 1% of U.S.
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land and about 1% of U.S.
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water withdrawals.
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And the 1872 mine law allows citizens to state claims, working in tandem with modern permitting rules.
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Perfect summary.
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I couldn't have said it better myself.
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I feel way more prepared to talk about mineral development now.
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Well, and that's the end goal.
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The world is complicated, and with mineral demand rising, people deserve clear, factual information so they can make informed decisions.
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Join us next time as we discuss mining and the permitting process that lies beneath its surface.