· If soda ash is mined on federal lands, it is subject to the Mineral Leasing
Act of 1920. The act requires a 5% royalty of the quantity or gross value
of the product when it is ready to ship to the market. Federal leases can
include additional costs of bonds, acreage rental fees, sodium prospecting
permit application fees, and permit bonds.
· The leasing area in Wyoming is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), the state, and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
· In the 1860s, for every mile of track constructed, Union Pacific Railroad
was given 10 square miles of land in alternate sections north and south of
the railroad. Union Pacific Resources took control of the area and later sold
it to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
· To prevent a monopoly, each lessee (trona company) is restricted to the
number of federal acres they can hold. This does not include state or private
land.
· One-half of all federal royalties collected are disbursed to the state of
Wyoming for state and local programs.
