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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102

§539a Mining and Mineral Leasing on Certain National Forest Lands

Title 16 › CHAPTER 2 — NATIONAL FORESTS › SUBCHAPTER I — ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION › § 539a

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Minerals on public land in the Copper River addition to the Chugach National Forest are closed to new mining claims, entries, and patents, except for any valid rights that already exist. The Secretary can allow removal of non‑leasable minerals under Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1946 and section 520, and can allow removal of leasable minerals under the mineral leasing laws, only if doing so will not seriously harm how the area is managed. Money from selling non‑leasable minerals goes into the same Treasury accounts and is shared the same way as other national forest receipts.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §539a

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Subject to valid existing rights, the minerals in public lands within the Copper River addition to the Chugach National Forest, are hereby withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under the United States mining laws. With respect to such areas, the Secretary, under such reasonable regulations as he deems appropriate, may permit the removal of non­leasable minerals from the lands in the manner prescribed by Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1946 and section 520 of this title, and the removal of leasable minerals from such lands in accordance with the mineral leasing laws, if the Secretary finds that such disposition would not have significant adverse effects on the administration of the area. All receipts derived from disposal of nonleasable minerals under this section shall be paid into the same funds or accounts in the Treasury of the United States and shall be distributed in the same manner as provided for receipts from national forests.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Reorganization Plan Numbered 3 of 1946, referred to in text, is Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 539a

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102