This section is a guide to complying with laws and regulations that apply to businesses involved in extracting naturally occurring mineral liquids, solids and gases, including coal, ores, crude petroleum, and natural gas.

Click on one of the following links to jump to that section of the page:

• Coal Mining

• Mine Safety and Health

• Mineral Exploration and Extraction

• Surface Mining

Coal Mining

• Regulating Coal Mines
  Information on how the coal mining industry is regulated under Title V of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

• Black Lung Benefits Act : Compliance Guide
  A compliance guide that explains procedures for processing black lung benefit claims.

• Coal Mine Operators and Insurance Carriers : Compliance Assistance
  The Black Lung Benefits Act requires each coal mine operator to secure the payment of its benefits liability by either qualifying as a self-insurer or by purchasing and maintaining in force a commercial insurance contract (including a policy or contract procured from a State agency).

• Coal Mine Workers' Compensation Forms
  Online forms related to implementation of the Black Lung Benefits Act. The Act provides monthly payments and medical benefits to coal miners totally disabled from pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) arising from their employment in or around U.S. coal mines.

• Coal Mining Best Management Practices Guidance Manual
  Provides information on many hydrologic and geochemical control best management practices which can be used to prevent or reduce pollution loading from abandoned mine lands during re-mining operations.

• Coal Reclamation Fee Report
  Detailed information on Electronic Filing of Coal Reclamation Fee Report, OSM-1.

• Reclamation Bonds for Coal Mining Operations
  Performance bonds and related information available from the Office of Surface Mining.

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Mine Safety and Health

• Compliance Guide For Testing And Evaluation By Independent Laboratories
  Frequent questions on testing and evaluation by independent laboratories and on non-MSHA product safety standards.

• Diesel-Powered Equipment Used in Underground Coal Mines : Compliance Guide
  A compliance guide to regulations covering diesel-powered equipment in underground coal mines.

• Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 : Regulations and Compliance
  Compliance assistance materials to fulfill regulatory requirements under the Federal Mine Health and Safety Act.

• Fire Suppression and Fire Protection Advisor
  This tool helps mine operators determine minimum fire protection requirements for electrical and diesel equipment.

• HazCom Compliance Guide for the Mining Industry
  Guidance on hazard communication requirements in the mining industry.

• Hazard Communication (HazCom) Compliance Information
  MSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires industry to inform miners about chemical hazards.

• Hazardous Communication Requirement for Mining : Toolkit
  A tool kit to help mine operators meet requirements for telling miners about dangerous chemicals.

• High-Voltage Longwall Regulations : Compliance Guide
  MSHA's compliance guide for high-voltage longwall regulations (30 C.F.R. Parts 18 and 75).

• MSHA Online Forms Advisor
  This Online Forms Advisor helps those involved in the mining industry fulfill their filing requirements. Allows access to MSHA forms that can be filed online or accessed and completed online.

• MSHA Online Forms for Independent Contractors
  This Online Forms Advisor helps independent contractors in the mining industry file forms for identification numbers; accident, injury and illness reports; and quarterly mine employment and coal production reports.

• MSHA Online Forms for Mine Operators
  This Online Forms Advisor helps mine operators file forms for identification numbers; changes in ID numbers; accident, injury and illness reports; and quarterly mine employment and coal production reports.

• MSHA Part 46 Training Regulations : Compliance Guideline
  A guide for training and retraining of miners engaged in shell dredging or employed at sand, gravel, surface stone, surface clay, colloidal phosphate, or surface limestone mines.

• MSHA Training Plan Advisor
  This tool helps mine operators develop training plans based on the information required by federal regulations.

• Mine Safety Compliance Assistance Information
  National Park Service and Federal regulations governing mining claims.

• Mine Safety and Health Best Practices
  Portal for mining industry stakeholders to share best practices for safety and healthy mining environments.

• Mine Safety and Health Compliance Guides and eLaw Advisors
  Compliance Guides and E-tools for the Mining Industry provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

• Mine Safety and Health Fact Sheets
  Links to mine safety and health fact sheets.

• Mine Safety and Health Information for Small Mines
  Training and assistance to help small- and medium-sized mining businesses in developing and implementing an effective and inexpensive safety and health management system.

• Mine Safety and Health Interactive Training
  Links to training programs, some intended to help operators comply with Federal regulations, while others are meant for miner training.

• Mine Safety and Health Topic Directory
  Provides links to specific compliance information on various safety and health issues found in the mining industry, including those related to equipment, chemicals and working conditions.

• Notification of a New or Changed Representative of Miners
  How to file a written declaration of an individual or union as the representative of miners for a given operator with MSHA.

• Occupational Noise Exposure Standard : Compliance Guide
  Compliance Guide to the Mine Safety and Health Administration's noise standard.

• Report a Hazardous Condition at a Mine
  An online application for reporting hazardous conditions at mine sites to MSHA.

• Self-Contained Self-Rescuers Training for Miners/Ocenco EBA 6.5 Training
  An online training course on self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR), Ocenco EBA 6.5, provided by MSHA.

• Self-Contained Self-Rescuers Training for Miners/Ocenco M-20
  An online training course on self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR), Ocenco M-20, provided by MSHA.

• Self-Contained Self-Rescuers Training for Miners
  An online training course on self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR) provided by MSHA.

• Task Training for Mines
  An online tool that allows mines to develop adaptable training to improve the mine's production, safety, communication, and maintenance.

• Training Surface Powered Haulage Safety in Mines
  This training material is aimed at surface haulage accident prevention, and addresses several of the hazards that may arise in surface haulage operations at mines (both metal/nonmetal and coal).

• Training for Material Handling Safety in Mines
  This self-paced, interactive mine safety training program covers manual and mechanical material handling and storage at surface mines, mills, and plants.

• Tree Cutting on Mine Property : Compliance Guide
  A compliance assistance guide by the Mine Safety and Health Administration for tree cutting on mine property.

• Voluntary Compliance Assistance Partnership Program for the Mining Industry
  The V/CAP Program will give technical assistance to participating facilities by providing appropriate product information during the repair/rebuild process.

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Mineral Exploration and Extraction

• Minerals Management Service : Forms Used by Permitees, Leasees and Operators
  Forms used oil and gas permitees, lessees and operators in the Gulf Coast Region.

• Minerals Management Service : Leasing Offshore Lands
  Information on leasing offshore lands for oil, gas and marine mineral extraction and exploration.

• Minerals Management Service : Reporting Information
  Contains information to assist in reporting royalties and production to MMS.

• Minerals Management Service : Royalty Relief Policies
  Information on royalty relief and royalty rate reductions.

• Minerals Management Service : Small Refiner Program
  "Dear Operator" letters and notices to lessees.

• Mining Operations Management
  National Park Service and Federal regulations governing mining claims.

• National Park Service Oil and Gas Operations Policies
  Operator's Handbook for Nonfederal Oil and Gas Development in units of the National Park System.

• Payment Instructions for Indian Leases
  Instructions for FEDWIRE deposit system payments.

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Surface Mining

• Small Surface Coal Mine Operators Handbook
  Information to help small mine operators comply with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

• Small Operator Assistance Application
  Permit application for small mine operators.

• Blasting Download Page
  An index of technical information and training on blasting.

• Office of Surface Mining - Applicant/Violator System Office
  An index of applicant/violator system information.

• Office of Surface Mining Technical Library
  An index of online guides, handbooks, mauals and other publications.

• Office of Surface Mining Forms Library
  An index of standardized forms for SMCRA compliance and assistance.

• Office of Surface Mining Reference Library
  Includes information on surface mining laws and regulations.

• Office of Surface Mining Western Region Guidance Documents
  An index of OSM Western Region SMCRA guidance documents.

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