H.R. 3872 — Introduced in House

I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3872 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 10, 2025Mr. Fallon (for himself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Mineral Extraction for Renewable Industry and Critical Applications Act of 2025 or the MERICA Act of 2025. 2. Application of Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to hardrock minerals The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 2 (30 U.S.C. 351)— (A) by striking Act United States and inserting the following: Act: (1) United States The term United States ; (B) by striking Alaska. Acquired lands and inserting the following: Alaska. (2) Acquired lands; lands acquired by the United States The term acquired lands ; (C) by striking 552). “Secretary and inserting the following: 552). (3) Secretary The term Secretary ; (D) by striking Interior. Mineral leasing laws shall mean and inserting the following: Interior. (4) Mineral leasing laws The term mineral leasing laws means ; (E) by striking Acts. Lease and inserting the following: Acts. (5) Lease The term lease ; (F) by striking requires. The term and inserting the following: requires. (6) Oil The term ; and (G) by adding at the end the following: (7) Hardrock mineral The term hardrock mineral— (A) includes deposits of— (i) minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks; (ii) base metals; (iii) precious metals; (iv) industrial metals; and (v) precious and semi-precious gemstones; and (B) does not include deposits of— (i) coal; (ii) oil; (iii) oil shale; (iv) gas; (v) sodium; (vi) potassium; (vii) sulfur; or (viii) mineral materials subject to disposition under the Act of July 31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). ; and (2) in section 3 (30 U.S.C. 352), by striking and sulfur and inserting sulfur, and hardrock minerals.