A Mining Tenement System (MT system) is a legal arrangement. Under this system, property owners can withdraw large quantities of commercial mineral resources, such as coal, gold, and iron ore, from their properties without undergoing the costly and time-consuming process of leasing out such property. The mining industry’s major benefit is the relatively low risk associated with an undertaking to explore for and mine commercial minerals. With an MT system, a prospective investor can “stick his neck out” by investing in a mining project, knowing that he will receive a full return on his investment. The major downside to mining this way is access to un-mineralized or “open” land.
Mitigating the Mining Operations Aftermath and Issues
The conflicts inherent in any mining tenement system can arise from a variety of factors. These include differing land ownership between the concessions and the property owners in question; uncertainty regarding whether or not the minerals will be developed into usable products; or inability or unwillingness to locate appropriate land use and zoning restrictions to support the proposed mine. Depending on the type of mine, it could also violate the mining operation’s law. Some areas are known to have significant opposition to mining, believing it to be unsound environmentally and violating their human rights. Regardless of the mining landowner’s objections, whether valid or illegitimate, local, state, or federal governments should work with all parties to mitigate any mining operation’s negative effects before, during, and after the operation is completed.
Mining Tenement System – Need for Permit, part of any mining operation will be to establish an effective permitting system to ensure that mining activities conform to applicable laws. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes policies and programs to protect natural resources. This is a good source for determining what other government agencies consider to be acceptable mining practices or areas that could require additional permitting.
On leased land, a mining and mineral concession may lease the land to an MTS company. MTS companies are independent contractors who bring their own equipment to the job. In many instances, companies like these are responsible for taking care of the day-to-day operations, including cleaning out the mess left by their crews. These companies generally prefer to contract with companies that have experience in managing their own tenements and mineral concessions. It is important to note that these companies usually will not handle any worksite safety and protection issues.
