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H.R. 3872119th CongressIn markupLatest action Jun 10, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 3872 would require leases for gold, silver, copper, and gemstone mining on federally acquired lands, matching oil and gas rules.
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HR 3872 adds hardrock minerals — including gold, silver, copper, other base and precious metals, and gemstones — to the federal leasing system that already governs oil, gas, and coal on lands the federal government has purchased or acquired. Anyone seeking to mine those minerals on covered lands would need to apply for a federal lease, pay fees or royalties, and follow terms set by the federal government. Coal, oil, natural gas, and certain other minerals remain under their existing rules and are not affected by this bill.
Mining companies and individuals who currently mine or plan to mine metals and gemstones on federally acquired lands are most directly affected. State governments, local communities near those lands, and industries that use these minerals in products such as electronics and batteries are also affected.
Bringing hardrock minerals under the leasing system means miners must go through an application process and meet federal conditions they are not currently required to meet on these lands. Federal land managers, particularly within the Department of the Interior, would take on a larger oversight role as a result.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.