[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR23.3]

[Page 438]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
PART 23--SURFACE EXPLORATION, MINING AND RECLAMATION OF LANDS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 23.3  Definitions.

    As used in the regulations in this part:
    (a) Mineral leasing acts means the Mineral Leasing Act of February 
25, 1920, as amended and supplemented (30 U.S.C. 181-287) and the 
Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 U.S.C. 351-359);
    (b) Mining Supervisor means the Area Mining Supervisor, or his 
authorized representative, of the Geological Survey authorized as 
provided in 30 CFR 211.3 and 231.2 to supervise operations on the land 
covered by a permit or lease;
    (c) District manager means the manager of the district office or 
other authorized officer of the Bureau of Land Management having 
administrative jurisdiction of and responsibility for the land covered 
by a permit, lease, contract, application, or offer;
    (d) Overburden means all the earth and other materials which lie 
above a natural deposit of minerals and such earth and other materials 
after removal from their natural state in the process of mining;
    (e) Area of land to be affected or area of land affected means the 
area of land from which overburden is to be or has been removed and upon 
which the overburden or waste is to be or has been deposited, and 
includes all lands affected by the construction of new roads or the 
improvement or use of existing roads to gain access to an operation and 
for haulage;
    (f) Operation means all of the premises, facilities, roads, and 
equipment used in the process of determining the location, composition 
or quality of a mineral deposit, or in developing, extracting, or onsite 
processing of a mineral deposit in a designated area;
    (g) Method of operation means the method or manner by which a cut or 
open pit is made, the overburden is placed or handled, water is 
controlled or affected and other pacts performed by the operator in the 
process of exploring or uncovering and removing or onsite processing of 
a mineral deposit;
    (h) Holder or Operator means the permittee, leasee, or contractor 
designated in a permit, lease, or contract;
    (i) Reclamation means measures undertaken to bring about the 
necessary reconditioning or restoration of land or water that has been 
affected by exploration or mineral development, mining or onsite 
processing operations, and waste disposal, in ways which will prevent or 
control onsite and offsite damage to the environment.

[34 FR 852, Jan. 18, 1969, as amended at 38 FR 10009, Apr. 23, 1973; 48 
FR 27016, June 10, 1983]