For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the definitions and meanings ascribed to them in this section:
    (1) “”Agency”” means an official, committee, department, commission, officer, division, authority, bureau, council, board, section, or unit of government within the state, including a county, municipality, or other local or regional entity or special district.
    (2) “”Bureau”” means the Bureau of Mine Reclamation, 2051 East Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32310-2051.
    (3) “”Department”” means the Department of Environmental Protection.
    (4) “”Existing mine”” means any mine upon which an operation is being conducted, or has been conducted, on October 1, 1986.
    (5) “”Extraction”” means the removal of heavy minerals from their location, so as to make them suitable for commercial, industrial, or construction use; but does not include excavation solely in aid of onsite farming or onsite construction, nor the process of searching, prospecting, exploring, or investigating for heavy minerals.
    (6) “”Heavy minerals”” means those resources found in conjunction with sand deposits which have a specific gravity of not less than 2.8, and includes an admixture of such resources as zircon, staurolite, and titanium minerals as generally mined in Florida.
    (7) “”Local government”” means any county or municipality.
    (8) “”Mine”” means an area of land upon which mining operations have been conducted, are being conducted, or are planned to be conducted, as the term is commonly used in the trade.
    (9) “”New mine”” means any mine where the operator begins the clearing of land for mining after July 1, 1987.
    (10) “”Onsite”” means within the contiguous limits of an area of land under one ownership or control and upon which farming or construction activities are taking place. Areas of land that are divided by public or private roads are considered contiguous if such areas are under one ownership or control.
    (11) “”Operation”” means any activity, other than prospecting, necessary for site preparation, extraction, waste disposal, storage, or reclamation.
    (12) “”Operator”” means any person engaged in an operation.
    (13) “”Reclamation”” means the reasonable rehabilitation of land where heavy mineral extraction has occurred.
    (14) “”Temporary land use”” means any use of lands under reclamation or restoration after contouring is complete, but before release, that is necessary for the mining operation or other reclamation or restoration activities within the mine.
Rulemaking Authority 378.404, 378.601 FS. Law Implemented 378.404, 378.601 FS. History-New 2-22-87, Formerly 16C-37.002, Amended 1-22-02.