Montana Department of Environmental Quality About Us Permitting & Operator Assistance Public Participation

Mining

For the information about Environmental Permits for all state agencies check out the 21st Edition of the Montana Index of Environmental Permits guidebook published in 2018 by the Legislative Services Environmental Quality Council.

Permitting and Operator Assistance

A - Prospecting Forms
  1. Notice of Intent
  2. Test Pit Application/Amendment
  3. Short Form Application/Amendment
  4. Long Form Application/Amendment
  5. Revision Form
  6. Renewal Application
  7. Transfer Application
  8. Assignment Form 
  9. Monthly/Annual Report Form
  10. Bond Release Application
B - Surface Mine Permit Forms
  1. New Permit Application
  2. Amendment Application
  3. Major Revision Application
  4. Minor Revision Application
  5. Renewal Application
  6. Transfer Application
  7. Assignment Form
  8. Bond Release Application
C - Bond Forms
  1. SMP
    1. Federal
      1. Cash Bond 
      2. Certificate of Deposit
      3. Irrevocable Letter of Credit 
      4. Surety Bond 
      5. Surety Rider 
    2. Non-Federal
      1. Cash
      2. Certificate of Deposit 
      3. Irrevocable Letter of Credit
      4. Surety Bond 
      5. Surety Rider 
    3. Tribal
      1. Cash 
      2. Certificate of Deposit
      3. Irrevocable Letter of Credit 
      4. Surety Bond
      5. Surety Rider 
  2. Prospecting
    1. Cash Bond 
    2. Certificate of Deposit 
    3. Irrevocable Letter of Credit 
    4. Surety Bond 
    5. Surety Rider 
D - Blasting Forms
  1. Blaster Certification/Renewal Form
  2. New Blaster Affidavit
  3. Renewal Blaster Affidavit
  4. Blaster Training Manual
  5. Online Blasting Classes Approved for Montana:
    1. ISEE Practical Blasting Fundamentals (16 hours)
    2. Academy Blasting: Basics of Blasting (4 hours)
    3. IME eLearning Modules Based on IME SLPs
    4. ISEE Blaster Training 2020 Webinar Series (16 hours)
E - Other Forms
  1. Map Affidavit
  2. Designation of Mine Contacts
  3. Designation of Permit Coordinator
F - Guidelines
  1. ePermit Instructions
  2. Submittal Guidelines 
  3. Annual Report Standard 
  4. Annual Hydro Report Standard 
    1. Quality Assurance Summary Report 
    2. Monitoring and Quality Assurance Plan 
  5. Cultural and Historic Resource Guidelines 
  6. Erosional Features Guidelines 
  7. Postmine Topography Plan Guidelines 
  8. Soil, Overburden and Regraded Spoil Guidelines 
  9. Vegetation Sampling Guidelines 
  10. Fish and Wildlife Guidelines
  11. Approximate Original Contour Guidelines 
G - Reference Documents
  1. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service,1951 Soil Survey Manual - ARM 17.24.301(114)
  2. U.S.D.A Soil Conservation Service, National Soils Handbook - ARM 17.24.301(115)
  3. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, Soil Taxonomy (Handbook 436) - ARM 17.24.301(115)
  4. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, Technical Release No. 60 (Earth Dams and Reservoirs) - ARM 17.24.642(1)(f)
  5. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, Pond 378 - ARM 17.24.642(1)(f)
  6. 40 CFR Part 136, Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants - ARM 17.24.645(6)
  7. Montana DEQ, Montana Numeric Water Quality Standards, Circular WQB-7- ARM 17.24.645(6)
  8. 40 CFR Part 434, Coal Mining Point Source Category BPT, PAT, PCT Limitations and New Source Performance Standards - ARM 17.24.646(6)
  9. U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, Land Capability Classification for Montana - ARM 17.24.746
  10. Maas and Hoffman, Crop Salt Tolerance-Current Assessment - ARM 17.24.806(1)
  11. 30 CFR 761.16 - ARM 17.24.1133(3)
H - Public Notice Examples
  1. Prospecting
    1. Amendment
    2. Transfer
    3. Bond Release
  2. SMP
    1. Amendment
    2. Major Revision
    3. Renewal
    4. Transfer
    5. Bond Release
A - Operating Permit
  1. Rock Products Application Packet Zip
    For New Permit and Major Amendment applications for Rock Product operations. See Rock Products Application Cover letter for requirements for a rock products operating permit. 
    1. Rock Products Application Cover Letter
    2. Rock Products Application
    3. Operating Permit Application
    4. Permit Application Flow Chart
    5. Major Amendment Flow Chart
    6. Hard Rock & Placer Mining Requirements
    7. Additional Approvals
  2. Hard Rock (Non Rock Products) Application Packet Zip
    For New Permit and Major Amendment applications for operations that do not meet the requirements for a rock products operating permit. 
    1. Hard Rock Cover Letter
    2. Hard Rock Application
    3. Operating Permit Application
    4. Permit Application Flow Chart
    5. Major Amendment Flow Chart
    6. Hard Rock & Placer Mining Requirements
    7. Additional Approvals
  3. Revision Forms
    1. Revision Form
    2. Example Revision Application
  4. Renewal Forms
    1. Annual Renewal Form
  5. Annual Renewal Forms for Multi-site Permits Zip
    1. Annual Renewal Form for Multi-Site Permits
    2. Spreadsheet for Multi-Site Permit Renewal
  6. Annual Fee Online Payment Instructions
    1. Electronic Operating Permit Fee Payment
B - Exploration Licenses
  1. New Application or Amendment License 
  2. New Application or Amendment Supplemental Questions 
  3. New Application or Amendment Drill Hole Appendix 
  4. Annual Renewal Form
  5. Map Guidelines
C - Small Miner Exclusion Statement
  1. New Small Miner Exclusion Statement (SMES) Packet
  2. Annual Renewal Form
D - Bond Forms

Please contact the Permit License Technician at 444-4953 for the bond instrument forms.

  1.  Reclamation Bond Requirements - PDF
E - Other Government Requirements/Guidelines

Additional guidelines or permit requirements associated with hard rock mining from other government entities

  1. Sage Grouse Advisory
  2. Exploration and Mining on State Lands/School Trust - Department of Natural Resources Trust Lands Management
  3. Mining Claims on Federal Land - Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas
  4. DEQ Water Protection Bureau - MPDES/Storm Water Permits
  5. USDA Forest Service
  6. US Army Corps of Engineers

UPDATE - Bond Forms have all been updated with a date of 10/24 in the footer.

DEQ Opencut will continue to accept the 10/22 version bond forms until January 31, 2025, after which operators and applicants will be required to submit bonds to DEQ on the new forms.

Request for Pre-Application Meeting

DEQ strongly recommends Operators request a meeting before submitting an application. In response, an Opencut scientist will contact the Operator and schedule a visit to provide guidance on the application process and recommendations on the proposed Opencut operation. Activities within or adjacent to designated sage grouse habitats require consultation with the Montana Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Program. The DEQ Sage Grouse Advisory is also a source of information.

  1. Request for Pre-Application Meeting
A - Instructional Documents

These guidance documents may provide additional assistance for permitting activities:

  1. Which Permit do I Need?
  2. Electronic Submittal of Opencut Documents
  3. Electronic Application Fee Payment Instructions 
B - Permit and Amendment Applications

Use the following documents to apply for an Opencut Mining Permit or Amendment:

  1. Standard Opencut Mining Permit Application
  2. Dryland Opencut Mining Permit Application
  3. Landowner Consultation
  4. Zoning Compliance
  5. Operator Certification of Surface Landowners and Occupied Dwelling Units for a Standard Permit
  6. Boundary Coordinate Table (BCT)
  7. Reclamation Bond Spreadsheet
  8. Weed Board Notification of Opencut Operation
  9. SHPO File Search Request Form for Opencut Site
C - Bond Forms

The most updated bonds are dated 2023, with the exception of the Property Bond form. As of January 31, 2024, Opencut will require all new bonds and riders to be on 2023 forms and will not be accepting older versions.

One of the following bonding instruments is also required:

  1. Cash Bond for Opencut Mining Permit
  2. Certificate of Deposit Assignment
  3. Irrevocable Letter Of Credit for Opencut Mining Permit
  4. Property Bond for Opencut Mining Permit
  5. Surety Bond for Opencut Mining Permit
  6. Surety Bond Rider for Opencut Mining Permit

For Bentonite Operators ONLY:

  1. Joint Surety Bond for Opencut Mining Permit
  2. Joint Surety Bond Rider for Opencut Mining Permit
D - Liability or Bond Release Request Form

Upon Completion of Reclamation, use the following form to request Liability or Bond Release:

  1. Phase I Release Request
  2. Phase II Release Request
E - Other Applications

Use the following documents for various permitting functions as appropriate:

  1. Limited Opencut Operation (LOO)
  2. 5 Year Reclamation Only Amendment
  3. Amendment to Extend Reclamation Date
  4. Change Postmining Land Use Application
  5. Request to Modify Bonded Acreage
  6. Assignment of Opencut Mining Permit Application
F - Other Forms
  1. Decline Public Meeting
G - Guidelines

The following documents provide technical guidance for Opencut permitting process:

  1. Map Guideline
  2. Seed Mix Guideline
  3. Soil Guideline
  4. Wash Plant Settling Pond Guideline
H - Worksheets

Use these worksheets to help you in the Opencut permitting process:

  1. Determining Depth to Groundwater Worksheet
  2. Pond and Wetland Design Worksheet
  3. Stream/Waterway Worksheet
  4. Soil & Overburden Quantity & Replacement Depth Calculation Worksheet
I - Additional Opencut Information

These resources provide additional help to you in the Opencut permitting process:

  1. Public Notice and Public Meeting Requirements
  2. Opencut Public Participation Flyer
  3. DEQ Opencut Frequently Asked Questions
  4. DEQ Air Quality Bureau Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Water Protection Bureau Permitting Guide
  6. DNRC Opencut Mining: Do You Need a Water Right?
  7. BLM Mineral Ownership Pamphlet

Visit the Laws and Regulations page.

  Contact Us

DEQ Headquarters
1520 E 6th Avenue | Helena, MT 59601
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Questions?
Call: 406-444-2544
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