Nevada mines pre-pay for their closure before they even open.
In the past few years, Nevada has been able to diversify its economy with data centers, drones, professional sports (Go Knights!), and even a Gigafactory. We’ve gone from the state hardest-hit by the great recession to one of the United States’ fastest-growing economies at breakneck speed.
Major projects like these, combined with overwhelming consumer demands for cutting-edge technologies, mean both the Silver State and the United States are more reliant on mineral production than ever. Plug-in electric cars use three times the amount of copper than a traditional vehicle. Our favorite devices use lithium-powered devices. Silver is vital in renewable energies.
Nevada does its part to quench this thirst for new minerals. According to the USGS, Nevada mines produce 11.55% of the minerals consumed in the United States. Nevada’s mines are among the best in the world to source these minerals, thanks to a combination of factors unique to the Silver State. We have the best miners in the world. Our special geological circumstances yield an abundance of resources. And, perhaps most importantly, Nevada mines pay special attention to the well-being of the environment and communities where they operate.
This special attention to the environment is a hallmark of modern mining, but here in Nevada it is especially critical. Under Nevada’s strict environmental laws, created in partnership with mining industry representatives, mine operators must reclaim the land they’ve mined to a state that is safe, stable, and suitable for productive post-mining use. Reclaimed land must be able to support a whole host of activities: wildlife habitat, agriculture, industry, recreation, “or any other activities which benefit the State of Nevada, its residents or the owner of the land.”
Nevada’s program further protects the public: miners are required, before they can even start a project, to submit their plans to reclaim the land for approval by the State. And from there, they must submit to the State a bond (or other financial instrument) to pay for these reclamation efforts.
Essentially, Nevada mines must pre-pay for their closure before they even open. And only once the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection has approved these plans, and received these payments, can mining activity begin.
We don’t know what further technological and economic marvels the 21st century has in store for us. We do know that whatever they are, they’ll rely on our natural resources to do it. And we can rest easy that Nevada’s collaborative approach to protecting the natural environment while maximizing its mineral potential will power these technologies for generations to come.