Development contracts and processing and milling arrangements involving hardrock minerals are agreements between one or more lessees and one or more other persons to justify large scale operations for the discovery, development, production, or transportation of ores.

Hardrock mineral permits and leases committed to development contracts or processing or milling arrangements approved by BLM are exempt from state and nationwide acreage limitations. We will not count them toward your maximum acreage holdings. However, individual hardrock mineral leases committed to a development contract or lease may not exceed 2560 acres in size.

No specific form is required. Submit three copies of your application to the BLM office with jurisdiction over some or all of the lands in which you are interested. Include the following information:

(a) Copies of the contract or other agreement affecting the Federal hardrock mineral leases or permits, or both;

(b) A statement showing the nature and reason for your request;

(c) A statement showing all the interests held in the area of the agreement by the designated contractor; and

(d) The proposed or agreed upon plan of operation for development of the leased lands.

(a) We will consider whether the agreement will conserve natural resources and is in the public interest.

(b) Once the agreement is signed by all the parties, we may approve it.