Aggregate materials – sand, gravel and crushed rock – are essential for construction and road-building projects. Property with significant surface or near surface sand, gravel or rock resources may be well-suited for mining. Before mining can be initiated, a county conditional use or special use permit is typically needed. This will require gathering information about the proposed mining site and surrounding land uses and water resources, the submission of required forms, an application fee, and meetings with county officials. Public hearings may be required depending on the type of mining permit being sought. Your county government website will provide more information on what is involved.
In Colorado, a mining permit is also required from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. The Division’s website http://mining.state.co.us/Pages/Home.aspx provides information and application forms. Required information includes a narrative section describing the proposed mine site attributes, the extent of the resource, surrounding land uses, and transportation and utility infrastructure, along with mining and reclamation plans and associated maps, and a stormwater management strategy.
Several factors influence the cost associated with preparing state and county permit applications, including the type of permit required, the size, location, planned use and complexity of the proposed mine site, neighboring land uses and landowner reactions, and surface and groundwater resources in the area.
Brink, Inc. provides state and county permitting assistance based on the level of help you need, from mapping and hydrologic characterization to full application preparation and assistance at county hearings. We can also provide a basic assessment of the property up-front so you have the key information necessary to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with a project.