This serves as an update to our 7/3/24 blog entitled TA Alert!-Aerial Recon For Minerals.
It has taken some time but I finally figured out how mining is regulated in Arizona. It took several inquiries with state agencies, help from the Ombudsman and great guidance from the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona (U of A).
The Players
Arizona State Mine Inspectors Office (ASMIO)-assures that active mines are being operated safely for the benefit of their employees and the public, and to inspect, at least once every three months, every active underground mine in the state employing fifty or more persons, and at least once each year, every other mine. The inspector inspects the operation, conditions, safety appliances, machinery, equipment, sanitation and ventilation, the means of ingress and egress, the means taken to protect the lives, health and safety of the miners.
Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS)-an independent state agency until 2016 when it was transferred to the College of Science at the U of A. AZGS is a non-regulatory entity that provides geologic information and technical assistance to the state, industry, tribes, local government and the public to enhance the understanding of the state's geologic character, geologic hazards and limitations, and mineral resources.
Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources (ADMMR)-eliminated in 2011 with most physical assets transferred to AZGS including some key documents that are still used today.
ADMMR is defunct, ASMIO only covers active mines and AZGS is non-regulatory. So who regulates the exploration and development of new mines in Arizona? Answer: It depends on who owns the land.
Arizona Land Ownership
The Arizona Surface Management Responsibility Map shown above was obtained from the ASLD website. There are 72.7 million acres of land in Arizona, which is owned/managed by the following entities:
Federal Agencies* (BLM, USFS, NPS, USFWS)-30.6 million acres (42.1%)
Tribes (BIA*)-20.1 million acres (27.6%)
Private-12.8 million acres (17.6%)
ASLD State Trust Land-9.2 million acres (12.7%)
*Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
US Forest Service (USFS)
National Park Service (NPS)
US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
One can theoretically conduct exploration and develop a mine on any of this land but there are several regulatory hurdles based on ownership. The ADMMR produced an Arizona Mining Permitting Guide (5/30/11) the year it went out of existence and that guide is apparently still used today. I will not go through all the extensive regulatory steps but you are welcome to download the guide at the link below to review the local, state and federal regulatory processes for mines.
Viridien Aerial Recon For Minerals
I was unable to get much information regarding the Viridien Southeast Arizona Project from local, state or federal agencies, so I called Viridien directly and spoke with Rik Brooymans, Manager-Mining & Critical Minerals. He was forthcoming and provided the following information about Viridien:
French company with world-wide offices. Rik is based in Houston.
Engaged Sanders Geophysics to obtain subsurface geophysical data with aerial flights using high-tech instruments to measure gravitational field (rock density), magnetic field (rock types, aquifers, etc.) and other data.
Will utilize the data from the Sander Geophysics flights along with existing satellite data and public domain data to produce an overall geophysical data set that will be available for purchase by mining entities.
The Viridien Southeast Arizona Project did overlap in some areas with the USGS's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI).
Viridien did not have to acquire any permits to do this reconnaissance---just comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight rules.
Viridien does not develop mines.
I asked if ASLD was one of their clients and he could not confirm. TA will do a Public Records Request (PRR) to find out if ASLD has engaged Viridien or any other mining-related entities for mining exploration in our region.
Conclusions
Mining in Arizona has been big business for a long time.
Critical mineral exploration in Arizona is the new mining thrust as the federal government desires to develop a US supply (rather than import) of these critical minerals for use in the manufacture of high technology devices.
The bulk of the land in Arizona is owned/trust-managed by the federal government, tribes and ASLD. In most cases, mining has and will occur on these lands to support their respective missions and the US critical mineral needs.
Private land owners are surrounded by these large land holdings and could potentially be impacted by future mining operations.
TA and other land conservation groups need to be vigilant to ensure protection of critical Sonoran Desert lands.