§ 27-19-100

In this chapter, (1) 'lode mine' means a mining operation that removes the minerals from consolidated rock rather than from a placer deposit; (2) 'materials' means sand, gravel, riprap, rock, limestone, slate, peat, and other substances from the ground that are not locatable or leasable under state law; (3) 'mined area' (A) means an active site of physical extraction, stockpiling, or the disposal of ore, overburden, tailings, or processed materials, stream diversions, bypasses, and settling ponds; (B) does not include reclaimed areas approved by the commissioner; (4) 'miner' means the owner, operator, or leaseholder of a mining operation; (5) 'mining operation' (A) means each function, work, facility, and activity in connection with the development, extraction, and processing of (i) a locatable or leasable mineral deposit except oil, gas, or coal; (ii) other materials or of a sand and gravel deposit; and (iii) each use reasonably incident to the development, extraction, and processing of a locatable or leasable mineral deposit or materials; (B) includes the construction of facilities, roads, transmission lines, pipelines, and other support facilities; (6) 'reclamation plan' means

of a locatable or leasable mineral deposit or materials; (B) includes the construction of facilities, roads, transmission lines, pipelines, and other support facilities; (6) 'reclamation plan' means a plan submitted by a miner under regulations adopted by the commissioner for the reclamation of a proposed mining operation; (7) 'stable condition' means the rehabilitation, where feasible, of the physical environment of the site to a condition that allows for the reestablishment of renewable resources on the site within a reasonable period of time by natural processes; (8) 'state land' includes (A) the land of the University of Alaska; (B) the land of state corporations; (9) 'unnecessary and undue degradation' (A) means surface disturbance greater than would normally result when an activity is being accomplished by a prudent operator in usual, customary, and proficient operations of similar character and considering site specific conditions; (B) includes the failure to initiate and complete reasonable reclamation under the reclamation standard of AS 27.19.020 or an approved reclamation plan under AS 27.19.030(a).