MERICA Act of 2025
Referred in SenateDec 16, 2025

MERICA Act of 2025

45 sections · 1 min read

Section 1. Application of Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to hardrock minerals

The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 2 (30 U.S.C. 351)—

(A) by striking Act United States and inserting the following:

(A) Act:

(1) United States

The term United States

(A) ;

(B) by striking Alaska. Acquired lands and inserting the following:

(B) Alaska.

(2) Acquired lands; lands acquired by the United States

The term acquired lands

(B) ;

(C) by striking 552). Secretary and inserting the following:

(C) 552).

(3) Secretary

The term Secretary

(C) ;

(D) by striking Interior. Mineral leasing laws shall mean and inserting the following:

(D) Interior.

(4) Mineral leasing laws

The term mineral leasing laws means

(D) ;

(E) by striking Acts. Lease and inserting the following:

(E) Acts.

(5) Lease

The term lease

(E) ;

(F) by striking requires. The term and inserting the following:

(F) requires.

(6) Oil

The term

(F) ; and

(G) by adding at the end the following:

(7) Hardrock mineral

The term hardrock mineral —

(A) includes deposits of—

(i) minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks;

(ii) base metals;

(iii) precious metals;

(iv) industrial minerals; and

(v) precious and semi-precious gemstones; and

(B) does not include deposits of—

(i) coal;

(ii) oil;

(iii) oil shale;

(iv) gas;

(v) sodium;

(vi) potassium;

(vii) sulfur; or

(viii) mineral materials subject to disposition under the Act of July 31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

(G) ; and

(2) in section 3 (30 U.S.C. 352), by striking and sulfur and inserting sulfur, and hardrock minerals.

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