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House Dems From Western States Push For Mining Industry Changes

AP

House Democrats from some Western states are preparing to push for changes to a longstanding law that governs mining on U.S.-owned lands.

A report published Monday by the Government Accountability Office shows the U.S. stands out among some other countries that collect royalties on gold, copper and other minerals. The U.S. government does not typically collect royalties on those minerals. House Natural Resources Chairman Raul Grijalva of Arizona says the mining industry should pay at least as much as oil and gas companies, which typically pay royalties of 12.5% on resources extracted from federal lands. Past efforts to significantly change the government's 1872 mining law have failed.