A. Beginning April 1, 1997, a person who conducts exploration operations that will create more than five contiguous acres of surface disturbance shall submit a reclamation plan to the state mine inspector. The reclamation plan shall:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 27-951

  • Exploration operations: means activities that create surface disturbances outside a mining facility and that are conducted to determine the presence, location, extent, depth or grade of minerals, including constructing access roads and drill pads. See Arizona Laws 27-901
  • Inspector: means the state mine inspector. See Arizona Laws 27-901
  • Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Reclamation: means measures that are taken on surface disturbances at exploration operations and mining units to achieve stability and safety consistent with post-mining land use objectives specified in the reclamation plan. See Arizona Laws 27-901
  • Surface disturbance: means clearing, covering or moving land by means of mechanized earth-moving equipment for mineral exploration, development and production purposes but does not include surveying, assessment and location work, seismic work, maintenance and other such activities that create a de minimis disturbance. See Arizona Laws 27-901

1. Identify the county or counties in which exploration operation will be conducted.

2. State the reclamation measures that will be taken to reclaim access roads, drill pads, drill holes, trenches and other exploration workings where the operator conducts exploration operations in this state.

B. An operator may submit a single reclamation plan covering all new and existing exploration operations in this state.

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