293.01 Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise: (1m) “Air pollution” means the presence in the atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in such quantities and of such duration as is or tends to be injurious to human health or welfare, animal or plant life, or property, or would unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life or property. (2) “Applicant” means a person who has applied for a prospecting permit or a mining permit. (2m) “Bulk sampling” means excavating in a potential mining site by removing less than 10,000 tons of material, including overburden and any other material removed from any portion of the excavation site, for the purposes of obtaining site-specific data to assess the quality and quantity of the nonferrous metallic mineral deposits and of collecting data from and analyzing the excavated materials in order to prepare the application for a mining permit or for any other approval. Bulk sampling does not constitute prospecting within the meaning of sub. (18). (3) “Department” means the department of natural resources. (4) “Environmental pollution” means the contaminating or rendering unclean or impure the air, land or waters of the state, or making the same injurious to public health, harmful for commercial or recreational use, or deleterious to fish, bird, animal or plant life. (5) “Mineral exploration” or “exploration”, unless the context requires otherwise, means the on-site geologic examination from the surface of an area by core, rotary, percussion or other drilling, where the diameter of the hole does not exceed 18 inches, for the purpose of searching for nonferrous metallic minerals or establishing the nature of a known nonferrous metallic mineral deposit, and includes associated activities such as clearing and preparing sites or constructing roads for drilling.
293.45 293.47 293.49 293.495 293.51 293.53 293.55 293.57 293.59 293.61 293.63 293.65 293.66
293.81 293.83 293.85 293.86 293.87 293.89 293.91 293.93 293.95
Prospecting; department grant or denial of permit. Prospecting data. Mining; department grant or denial of permit. Subsequently filed applications for other approvals. Bonds and other security. Review of permits; periodic reports. Modifications. Successors. Cessation of mining or reclamation. Determination of abandonment of mining. Certificate of completion, partial completion and bond release. Withdrawal of surface waters; withdrawal of groundwater; damage claims. Groundwater quality. SUBCHAPTER V GENERAL PROVISIONS; ENFORCEMENT Exploring, bulk sampling, prospecting, and mining without authorization. Mining and reclamation; orders. Cancellation of permit. Visitorial powers of department. Enforcement; penalties. Citizen suits. Nonconforming sites. Effect of other statutes. Review.
(6) “Exploration license” means the license required under s.