HR 3872
Advanced toward a vote
Extends the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to hardrock minerals, defining that term to cover base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and gemstones while excluding coal, oil, gas, and several other minerals.
Official title: To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced
10-JUN-2025
Referred
10-JUN-2025
Approved by committee
17-SEP-2025
Reported
31-OCT-2025
On the calendar
31-OCT-2025
Passed
15-DEC-2025
Senate
Received
16-DEC-2025
Approved by committee
10-JUN-2026
Reported
17-SEP-2026
On the calendar
17-SEP-2026
- Defines hardrock minerals to include minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks, base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and precious and semi-precious gemstones.
- Excludes coal, oil, oil shale, gas, sodium, potassium, sulfur, and mineral materials disposed of under the Materials Act of 1947 from the hardrock definition.
- Amends section 3 of the Act so that hardrock minerals are listed alongside sulfur.
Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Reported to House" (31-OCT-2025); the text has changed since (Reported to Senate, 17-SEP-2026).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov- Natural Resources Committee (House)
- Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee
- Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Senate)
- Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee
Energy
■ 2 R
2 Republicans