A. Beginning April 1, 1997, the owner or operator of a new exploration operation shall furnish a financial assurance mechanism to the state mine inspector in an amount equivalent to two thousand dollars per acre of new surface disturbance, unless the inspector approves a cost estimate for an amount less than two thousand dollars per acre.

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 27-993

  • 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
  • New exploration operation: means an exploration operation that begins after the effective date of the initial rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. 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

B. An owner or operator may provide a single financial assurance mechanism for all of its exploration operations conducted in this state.

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