(a) A person who owns both the surface rights and subsurface rights of private property that mines quartz crystal on the private property shall remove topsoil and spoil and store it on the mining site separately for future reclamation needs.(b) Upon completion of mining on private property, the private property owner shall: (1) Leave the mining site in a condition that safeguards the mining site from trespass if any highwalls are left on the mining site; and(2)(A) Whenever possible: (i) Backfill spoil into the pits;(ii) Cover the mining site with topsoil; and(iii) Revegetate the mining site to prevent pollution of the waters of the state.(B) If the private property owner does not place spoil back into the final cut, the private property owner shall: (i) Grade the spoil so that no slope is steeper than one foot (1') vertical to three feet (3') horizontal; and(ii) Respread and revegetate the topsoil to prevent pollution of the waters of the state.Amended by Act 2019, No. 384,§ 5, eff. 7/24/2019.Added by Act 2017, No. 1121,§ 2, eff. 8/1/2017.
Arkansas Legal Code