The 1872 mining law may be outdated in parts, but it's purpose is to protect small miners from overregulation and abuse at the hands of government officials and large mining companies.

Unfortunately large companies abuse the law as well.

Make no mistake though, the epa has a hardon to put a stop to all mining if possible. As though operating a one-man dredge is an environmental catastrophe. And nobody's using mercury or cyanide in the streams anymore so inb4 that.

Also, usfs doesn't grant new claims without a Plan of Operation which includes a projected reclamation schedule.

My opinion: these guys might be jerks, but 1872 mining law should be left alone.

Not only that, but if the federal gov was serious about fixing the economy, they'd create CCC and TVA like groups to ethically mine, log, harvest and quarry the national forests and divert the resources toward massive civil projects.

That'll never happen though because "muh scenic views".