S. 3708

MERICA Act of 2026

Shown here: Introduced in Senate (2026-01-28)

To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals, and for other purposes.

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Mineral Extraction for Renewable Industry and Critical Applications Act of 2026” or the “MERICA Act of 2026”.

2. Application of Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to hardrock minerals

The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands is amended—

(1) in section 2 (30 U.S.C. 351)—

(A) in the sixth sentence, by striking “The term” and all that follows through “embrace” and inserting the following:

(5) Oil
The term oil means

(B) in the fifth sentence, by striking ““Lease”” and inserting the following:

(3) Lease
The term lease

(C) by striking the fourth sentence and inserting the following:

(4) Mineral leasing laws
The term mineral leasing laws means—
(A) the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.);
(B) the Act of April 17, 1926 (44 Stat. 301, chapter 158; 30 U.S.C. 271 et seq.);
(C) the Act of February 7, 1927 (44 Stat. 1057, chapter 66; 30 U.S.C. 281 et seq.); and
(D) all Acts amendatory or supplementary to any of the Acts described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).

(D) in the third sentence, by striking ““Secretary”” and inserting the following:

(6) Secretary
The term Secretary

(E) in the second sentence—

(i) by striking “(36 Stat.” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “(commonly known as the “Weeks Law”) (36 Stat. 961, chapter 186; 16 U.S.C. 552 et seq.).”; and

(ii) by striking ““Acquired lands” or “lands acquired by the United States” include” and inserting the following:

(1) Acquired lands; lands acquired by the United States
The terms acquired lands and lands acquired by the United States mean

(F) in the first sentence, by striking “As used in this Act “United States”” and inserting the following: “In this Act:

(7) United States
The term United States

(G) by moving the paragraphs so as to appear in numerical order; and

(H) by inserting after paragraph (1) (as so designated) the following:

(2) Hardrock mineral
(A) In general
The term hardrock mineral includes deposits of—
(i) minerals found in sedimentary or other rocks;
(ii) base metals;
(iii) precious metals;
(iv) industrial metals; and
(v) precious and semi-precious gemstones.
(B) Exclusions
The term hardrock mineral does not include deposits of—
(i) coal;
(ii) oil;
(iii) oil shale;
(iv) gas;
(v) sodium;
(vi) potassium;
(vii) sulfur; or
(viii) mineral materials subject to disposition under the Act of July 31, 1947 (commonly known as the “Materials Act of 1947”) (61 Stat. 681, chapter 406; 30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

(2) in section 3 (30 U.S.C. 352), in the first sentence, by striking “and sulfur” and inserting “sulfur, and hardrock minerals”.

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