1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to mining; modifying requirements for safe storage of reactive mine waste;
1.3 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 93; repealing
1.4 Minnesota Rules, part 6132.2200.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [93.5141] SAFE STORAGE OF REACTIVE MINE WASTE.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Goals.Reactive mine waste must be mined, disposed of, and reclaimed
1.8to prevent the release of substances that result in adverse impacts on natural resources by
1.9meeting the applicable water quality standards.
1.10 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
1.11meanings given.
1.12 (b) "Applicable water quality standards" means the federal, state, local, or Tribal water
1.13quality standards that directly govern the water into which a discharge occurs.
1.14 (c) "Reactive mine waste" means waste that is shown through characterization studies
1.15or other means to cause a sustained net decrease in pH of at least 0.5 standard pH units in
1.16contact water due to a chemical interaction between sulfur-bearing minerals and oxygen.
1.17 Subd. 3.Requirements.A nonferrous metallic minerals mining operation must meet
1.18the following requirements:
1.19 (1) chemical and physical characterization of mine waste must be conducted before an
1.20application for a permit to mine is submitted and continuously during the process of mining,
1.21according to Minnesota Rules, part 6132.1000; and
1Section 1.
REVISOR CKM/NS 25-0493503/18/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 3050
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Igo04/02/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy 2.1 (2) to comply with applicable water quality standards during construction and at closure,
2.2a reactive mine waste storage facility must be designed by professional engineers who are
2.3registered in Minnesota and proficient in the design, construction, operation, and reclamation
2.4of facilities for storing reactive mine waste. The design may include but is not limited to:
2.5 (i) modifying the physical or chemical characteristics of the mine waste or storing it in
2.6an environment where the discharge meets applicable water quality standards; or
2.7 (ii) during construction to the extent practicable and at closure, providing for collecting
2.8and disposing of waters that drain from the mine waste in compliance with applicable water
2.9quality standards.
2.10 Sec. 2. REPEALER.
2.11 Minnesota Rules, part 6132.2200, is repealed.
2Sec. 2.
REVISOR CKM/NS 25-0493503/18/25 6132.2200REACTIVE MINE WASTE.
Subpart 1.Goals.Reactive mine waste shall be mined, disposed of, and reclaimed to
prevent the release of substances that result in the adverse impacts on natural resources.
Subp. 2.Requirements.A mining operation must meet the requirements in items A
to D.
A.Chemical and physical characterization of mine waste must be conducted before
the submission of an application for a permit to mine and continuously after that during the
process of mining under part 6132.1000.
B.A reactive mine waste storage facility must be designed by professional
engineers registered in Minnesota proficient in the design, construction, operation, and
reclamation of facilities for the storage of reactive mine waste, to either:
(1)modify the physical or chemical characteristics of the mine waste, or store
it in an environment, such that the waste is no longer reactive; or
(2)during construction to the extent practicable, and at closure, permanently
prevent substantially all water from moving through or over the mine waste and provide
for the collection and disposal of any remaining residual waters that drain from the mine
waste in compliance with federal and state standards.
C.The reactive mine waste storage facility design shall:
(1)describe all materials, construction, and operating performance
specifications and limitations that must be maintained to ensure protection of natural
resources;
(2)identify monitoring locations to ensure compliance with the design; and
(3)include a schedule for inspection of the reactive mine waste storage facility
construction, operation, and reclamation including closure and postclosure maintenance,
by the design engineers, to ensure compliance with the design. In the event the design
engineers become unable to perform the inspections, the engineers shall be replaced by
persons who meet the qualifications of part 6132.2200, subpart 2, item B, and that can
demonstrate an understanding of the design and an ability to perform the necessary
inspections.
D.The commissioner may allow variance from specific reclamation requirements
of parts 6132.2100 and 6132.2300 to 6132.2700 if their use would inhibit designs necessary
to meet the requirements of this part.
1R
APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Rules: 25-04935