Issues

Pump stations are large industrial facilities that maintain the flow and pressure of oil by receiving oil from the pipeline, re-pressurizing it, and sending it back into the pipeline system. (Compressor stations do the same thing for natural gas.) Pump… More »

The Cyanide Code After the Aural Mine spill in Romania, an international group of stakeholders created the International Cyanide Management Code for the Manufacture, Transport and Use of Cyanide in the Production of Gold (Cyanide Code). An independent third party assesses a… More »

Deep-sea mining – it’s like something from a Jules Verne novel. This relatively untested form of mining the ocean floor is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but poised to go online in a number of places. Companies from… More »

The Stock-Raising Homestead Act of 1916 provided settlers 640 acres of public land—a full section or its equivalent—for ranching purposes. SRHA allows ranchers to homestead (i.e. privatize) lands originally deemed of no value except for livestock grazing and the growing… More »

There are many fluids and wastes associated with oil and gas operations that can poison living organisms. This web page contains information on some of the following issues of concern related to the storage and disposal of oil and gas… More »

A variety of air contaminants are emitted throughout the oil and gas development process, and these compounds are released from a number of sources: Condensate tanks Construction activity Dehydrators Engines Fugitive emissions Pits Vehicles Venting and Flaring Condensate tanks Some… More »

In many states, the owners of the land are not necessarily the owners of the minerals. When the surface and subsurface (mineral) estates are owned by different parties, they are referred to as split estate or severed estate lands. When… More »

Small-scale mining, also known as recreational mining, refers to a variety of types of mining operations ranging from gold panning as a weekend hobby, using a sluice box, or operating a suction dredge to mine for gold at the bottom… More »