Commission on Mineral Resources
Nevada Division of Minerals 2017-2018 Report
Abandoned Mine Hazard Public Safety Program
Fluid Mineral Resource Regulation Education and Outreach
Annual Production and Industry Reports 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
February 6, 2019 Rich Perry, Administrator
Abandoned Mine Hazard Public Safety Program
Legacy hazards before reclamation laws were enacted • Legacy shafts, tunnels, pits,
portals with no owners • Most are on Federal Lands • Statutory program began in
1987, NRS 513 • Funded by annual claim fees
($4 per claim). • Division seeks program
partners to leverage dollars – BLM, USFS, USACE, NDOW, Counties.
Securings are completed by:
Federal
Division of Minerals
Claimants/Land Owners
Other
2017 n = 1005
Abatement of Dangerous Conditions at Non-Operating Mines
Types of Hazard Securings
Wildlife CompatibleBackfilled, SealedCaved by NatureTemporary SecuringsNot Secured
1987-2017 = 21,855
Wildlife Compatible
Poly-Urethane Foam
Backfills
Temporary Securings
2018 FIELD WORK • 920 Inventories • 845 Revisits • 860-900 Securings
– 470 by NDOM or Contractor – 225-275 by Owner or
claimant – ~99 by BLM – 42 by USFS – ~25 other
• Work performed by NDOM Staff, 8 interns hired in summer and contractor
• Database of hazards and securings in a secure SQL database accessible in field by internet
2018 Permanent Closures • Completed eight Hard Closure
Projects – Arden (47) – Broken Hills (40) – LY-1172 (1) – ST-19 (1) – Gold Butte (40) – Fort Churchill (1) – Brunswick (1) – THMP (3)
• 134 Total Closures – Program Record – $768,023 expended
• Split FY18 & FY19
• Completed by State Contractor: Environmental Protection Services – 30 fencings in addition to the
closures
Arden Mine, Clark County
Mine Complex
Southern Las Vegas
Gold Butte NM, Clark County
Broken Hills, Mineral County
Partnering with other Organizations Calendar 2018
• BLM
– $83,150 – $115,147 available on current
modification – $400,000 additional remaining on
Grant • Not guaranteed
• USFS – $6,565 – $13,409 expected FY19
• Clark County Real Property – $150,000
• Clark County Desert Conservation – $129,955
• $63,869 remaining • Total 2018
– $369,670
Fluid Mineral Resource Regulation • Geothermal well
permitting and compliance NRS 534A
• Oil and gas well permitting and compliance NRS 522
• Dissolved Mineral
Resource Exploration well and borehole permitting NRS 534B
Ormat Geodrill #1 at Tungsten Mtn, 2018
Education and Outreach
In 2018 NDOM: • Conducted >300
presentations & events
• Reached >22,300 people
Outreach Efforts
• Teachers workshops – Classes and Tours • Classroom Presentations, School Events • Career Fairs, Nevada Day Celebrations, STEM Fairs • Conference booths, trade talks • Provide Educators with Mineral Kits, Activities, Mineral ID books, etc..
16
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Gol
d pr
oduc
tion,
mill
ions
of t
roy
ounc
es
Gol
d pr
ice,
$/tr
oy o
unce
Price
Production
Nevada Gold 2017 Production 5.64Moz, +3.2% vs. '16 27 mines, 17 operators
17
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Silv
er p
rice,
$/tr
oy o
unce
s
Silv
er p
rodu
ctio
n, m
illio
ns o
f tro
y ou
nces
Nevada silver
Price
Production
2017 Production 8.48 Moz, -5.2% vs. '16 24 mines, 15 operators
18
0
1
2
3
4
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Cop
per p
rice,
$/p
ound
Cop
per p
rodu
ctio
n, m
illio
ns o
f pou
nds
Nevada copper
Price
Production
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
Aver
age
Annu
al P
rice
per B
arre
l of O
il
Prod
uctio
n (1
,000
sho
rt to
ns)
Nevada Barite Production
Oil Price
2017 391,402 tons shipped + 70% vs. '16 4 producers
20
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Gyp
sum
pro
duct
ion,
mill
ions
of s
hort
tons
Nevada Gypsum 2017 Production 3.5 M tons +9% vs. '16 6 producers
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Aggr
egat
e va
lue,
mill
ions
of d
olla
rs
Aggr
egat
e pr
oduc
tion,
mill
ions
of t
ons
Nevada Aggregate Production and Value
Production
Value
Other Industrial Minerals Produced, 2017
• 10,233,000 lbs of lithium compounds • 274,621 tons of diatomite • 112,634 tons of magnesium oxide • 727,088 tons of silica sand • 24,855 tons of salt • 2,530 tons of perlite
22
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
11,000
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Prod
uctio
n, $
mill
ions
Nevada Mineral and Energy Production Values 1979 - 2017
Other
Petroleum
Gypsum
Barite
Geothermal
Silver
Aggregate
Copper
Gold
11,722 active placer claims in Nevada, inferred to be for lithium as of 1/7/2019 and increase of 13% from assessment year 2018
198,337 active mining claims in Nevada, as of 1/7/2019 and increase of 7% from
assessment year 2018
Publications
PLANNING FOR FY 2020-2021 • Planned Regulation Updates:
– Update of Geothermal Resources code NAC 534B – Update of Reclamation Bond Pool code in NAC 519A
• Major Closure Projects: – Goodsprings District, Clark (10) – Double O, Round 2 Pershing (81) – Walker River State Park, Lyon (107) – VC Grand Prix, Storey (20) – Nelson, Clark (73) – Pioche, Lincoln (68) – Pine Nut Range, Douglas (66)
