ARIZONA MINING PERMITTING GUIDE - AZGS Document Repository

Injection Wells Used to Extract Minerals
Arizona Mining Permitting Guide
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
75 Hawthorne Street, WTR-9
San Francisco, CA 94105
415 744-1835
www.epa.gov
PERMITS, AUTHORIZATIONS OR FILINGS:
Injection Wells Used to Extract Minerals
Class III and Class V Underground Injection Control (UIC) Permits for Injection Wells Used
to Extract Minerals
LEGAL AUTHORITY:
Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300(f) et seq.
CONDITIONS REQUIRING PERMITS, AUTHORIZATIONS OR FILINGS:
UIC permits are required for all Class III mining activities described under 40 C.F.R. parts
144 and 146. Class III facilities use injection wells for: 1) mining of sulfur by the Frasch
process; 2) in situ production or uranium, copper, and other metals from ore bodies that have
not been conventionally mined; and, 3) solution mining of salts and potash. If the mining
zone is protected as an Underground Source of Drinking Water (USDW), a permit applicant
may have to apply for an aquifer exemption and be able to demonstrate that the project meets
the criteria established at 40 C.F.R. 146.4.
Class V mining wells include all mining injection wells not described as Class III, above.
UIC permits are issued on a case-by case basis for Class V injections wells. Pursuant to 40
C.F.R. 144.26, all Class V injection wells that are authorized by rule (i.e., wells allowed to
operate without a permit) must be inventoried with EPA.
EXEMPTIONS:
None
FEES:
None
AVERAGE PROCESSING TIME:
Individual permits are issued for the life of the facility. Permit review may take from six
months to more than two years to complete, depending on the complexity of the project, the
extent of public involvement and the responsiveness of the applicant.
FORMS:
Regulations: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/regulations.cfm
Guidance: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/guidance.cfm
Forms: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/reportingforms.cfm
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