US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 1280

Federal mining and mineral leasing laws

(a)

Applicability to components of system

Nothing in this chapter shall affect the applicability of the United States mining and mineral leasing laws within components of the national wild and scenic rivers system except that—
(i)
section 1274 of this title all prospecting, mining operations, and other activities on mining claims which, in the case of a component of the system designated in , have not heretofore been perfected or which, in the case of a component hereafter designated pursuant to this chapter or any other Act of Congress, are not perfected before its inclusion in the system and all mining operations and other activities under a mineral lease, license, or permit issued or renewed after inclusion of a component in the system shall be subject to such regulations as the Secretary of the Interior or, in the case of national forest lands, the Secretary of Agriculture may prescribe to effectuate the purposes of this chapter;
(ii)
subject to valid existing rights, the perfection of, or issuance of a patent to, any mining claim affecting lands within the system shall confer or convey a right or title only to the mineral deposits and such rights only to the use of the surface and the surface resources as are reasonably required to carrying on prospecting or mining operations and are consistent with such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior or, in the case of national forest lands, by the Secretary of Agriculture; and
(iii)
subject to valid existing rights, the minerals in Federal lands which are part of the system and constitute the bed or bank or are situated within one-quarter mile of the bank of any river designated a wild river under this chapter or any subsequent Act are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from operation of the mineral leasing laws including, in both cases, amendments thereto.
Regulations issued pursuant to paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection shall, among other things, provide safeguards against pollution of the river involved and unnecessary impairment of the scenery within the component in question.
(b)

Withdrawal from appropriation of minerals in Federal river beds or bank areas; prospecting, leases, licenses, and permits

section 1276(a) of this titlesection 1278(b) of this titlesection 1276(a) of this titlesection 1278(b) of this titleThe minerals in any Federal lands which constitute the bed or bank or are situated within one-quarter mile of the bank of any river which is listed in are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws during the periods specified in . Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to forbid prospecting or the issuance of leases, licenses, and permits under the mineral leasing laws subject to such conditions as the Secretary of the Interior and, in the case of national forest lands, the Secretary of Agriculture find appropriate to safeguard the area in the event it is subsequently included in the system. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection or any other provision of this chapter, all public lands which constitute the bed or bank, or are within an area extending two miles from the bank of the river channel on both sides of the river segments referred to in paragraphs (77) through (88) of are hereby withdrawn subject to valid existing rights, from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from operation of the mineral leasing laws including, in both cases, amendments thereto, during the periods specified in .

Pub. L. 90–542, § 982 Stat. 915Pub. L. 96–487, title VI, § 606(b)94 Stat. 2416Pub. L. 99–590, title V, § 507100 Stat. 3336(, , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 99–5901986—Subsec. (b). substituted “issuance of leases” for “issuance or leases”.

Pub. L. 96–487section 1278(b) of this title1980—Subsec. (b). inserted provision withdrawing, subject to valid existing rights, all public lands which constitute the bed or bank, or are within an area extending two miles from the bank of the river channel or both sides of the river segments referred to in section 1276(a)(77) through (88) of this title, from all forms of appropriations under the mining laws and operation of the mineral leasing laws during the periods specified in .