Royalty Relief for U.S. Deepwater Oil and Gas Leases

The most common incentives for offshore oil and gas development include various forms of royalty relief. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to grant royalty relief to promote increased oil and gas production. The Deep Water Royalty Relief Act of 1995 (DWRRA) expanded the Secretary's royalty relief authority in the Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf (OCS). This report outlines the ongoing controversy over royalty relief, related legislation, and related court rulings

U.S. Crude Oil Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas

A brief look at how oil prices are affected by production

CRS Issue Briefs

This report discusses the General Mining Law of 1872, which is the law that grants free access to individuals and corporations to prospect for minerals in public domain lands, and allows them, upon making a discovery, to stake (or “locate”) a claim on that deposit

CRS Issue Briefs

Budget reconciliation provisions approved by the House Resources Committee on October 26, 2005, would allow states to opt-out of longstanding moratoria on oil and gas leasing on the outer continental shelf (OCS). States that agreed to allow such leasing would receive a larger share of royalty revenues

Gold mining’s toxic legacy: Pollutant transport and accumulation in the Klip River catchment, Johannesburg

Waste from gold mines is considered to constitute the largest single source of waste pollution in South Africa and contributes significantly to acid mine drainage, which remains one of the country’s most serious environmental and socio-economic issues. Run-off from the Central Rand Goldfield discharges into wetlands along the Klip River, which are known to be important sinks for toxic pollutants. The aim of this study was to examine the transport, migration and sequestration of metal pollutants in the upper Klip River catchment in further detail. Analyses reveal that the majority of pollutants are associated with contaminant plumes that emanate from mine dumps and enter the wetland via groundwater recharge. This water carries highly elevated concentrations of Co, Ni, Zn, U and rare earth elements, which are naturally sequestered within the wetland, largely through precipitation and adsorption. While surface runoff from mine dumps severely contaminates watercourses within the upper catchment, surface inputs are considered relatively minor contributors to the overall pollutant load entering the Klip River wetland, although aerosol fallout is an important source of Pb. The extensive accumulation of metals within the Klip River wetland reflects the contaminant legacy associated with gold mining on the Witwatersrand and highlights the vital role this natural system has played in trapping vast quantities of toxic pollutants and remediating downstream waters. Contaminant plumes associated with mine dumps will likely persist for decades; preventing further deterioration of the Klip River wetlands is thus critical for safeguarding water sources in the region.  Significance:  Run-off and groundwater emanating from the Central Witwatersrand Basin is highly contaminated with toxic metals. The seepage of acidic water from mine waste dumps is considered the primary source of contamination. Significant quantities of pollutants are trapped naturally within the Klip River wetland. Preventing further deterioration of the Klip River wetlands is critical for the protection of freshwater resources in the region

Sedimentation and chemical processes on the Lower Mkuze floodplain : implications for wetland structure and function

Thesis (Ph.D)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2008.The Mkuze Wetland System, situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal, is South Africa’s largest freshwater wetland area. The system plays a vital role in the functioning of the local landscape and has been identified as an important site for the retention of a number of solutes. The mechanisms through which this retention occurs were investigated through analysis of sediment, groundwater and porewater samples collected from the lower floodplain. Sample analysis was achieved through the use of several techniques, including Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), electron microscopy and sequential extraction

Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain

This report provides a discussion of the major issues and concerns of the global supply chain for rare earth elements (REEs), their major end uses, and legislative and other policy proposals that Congress may consider to improve the U.S. rare earth position