Back to the resource library The Last American Dinosaur: The 1872 Mining Law March 24, 2000 | Share: Download The 1872 Mining Law is the last vestige of public resource giveaways originally enacted to encourage the settlement of the western U.S. See All Related Resources Comments on Colorado’s Proposal for Further EPA Methane Rule Implementation Comments on Colorado’s Ozone State Implementation Plan Would the Blue Marlin Offshore Port Deliver on the Local Benefits it Promises? Driving Best Practice in Mining Waste Management