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Requirements for Land Use and Mineral Extraction
Title 40 of the Aleutians East Borough Municipal Code requires Commercial Recreation Operators, Professional Researchers, Sand, Gravel and Rock Mining Operators, Mineral and Coal Exploration Activities and Small Mining Operations, and Offshore Seafood Processors and Direct Marketing Seafood Processors to obtain a land use permit within the Aleutians East Borough boundaries, excluding the municipal lands where AEB has delegated land use planning authority to an AEB municipality (see AEBC 40.01.020).
Sand, Gravel and Rock Mining
The Aleutians East Borough Municipal Code (AEBMC) requires Sand, Gravel and Rock Mining Operators to obtain a land use permit within the Aleutians East Borough Resource Development District, excluding the municipal lands where AEB has delegated land use planning authority to an AEB municipality (see AEBMC § 40.01.020). Sand, Gravel and Rock Mining may only occur, if permitted by AEB within the Aleutians East Borough Resource Development District. A separate permit application must be submitted for each Sand, Gravel and Rock Mining location.
Mineral & Coal Exploration & Small Mining
Title 40 of the Aleutians East Borough Municipal Code (AEBMC) requires Mineral and Coal Exploration Activities and Small Mining Operations to obtain a land use permit within the Aleutians East Borough boundaries, excluding the municipal lands where AEB has delegated land use planning authority to an AEB municipality (see AEBMC § 40.01.020). A separate permit application must be submitted for each exploration project area and for each small mining area. Mineral and Coal Exploration and Small Mining Operations may only occur, if permitted by AEB within the Aleutians East Borough Resource Development District.
- “Mineral and Coal Exploration” means exploration for minerals and coal, including two dimensional or three dimensional seismic surveys run in search of minerals and coal, but and does not include Mineral Mining or Coal Mining operations.
- “Coal Mining” means mining, extraction, harvesting removing or producing for sale, profit or commercial use any coal and all associated processing, refining, and transportation and distribution infrastructure required to commercially develop these resources.
- “Mineral Mining” means mining, extraction, harvesting, removing or producing for sale, profit or commercial use any copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, molybdenum, or other metallic mineral product, compound or combination of mineral products and all associated processing, refining, and transportation and distribution infrastructure required to commercially develop these resources.
- “Small Mining Operations” means Coal Mining or Mineral Mining operations that are limited to less than five (5) acres at any one time. This definition does not include Recreational Mining.
- “Large Mining Operations” means Coal Mining or Mineral Mining operations of five (5) acres or more at any one time.
- “Recreational Mining” means recreational gold panning; hard-rock mineral prospecting or mining using light portable field equipment, such as a hand-operated pick, shovel, pan, earth auger, or a backpack power drill or auger; or suction dredging using a suction dredge with a nozzle intake of six inches or less, powered by an engine of 18 horsepower or less, and pumping no more than 30,000 gallons of water per day.