Title 39
Valuation and Taxation
ARTICLE 6
Valuation of Mines
39-6-101. Definitions.
As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) “Mine” means one or more mining claims or acres of other land, including all excavations therein from which ores, metals, or mineral substances of every kind are removed, except drilled wells producing sulfur and oil, gas, and other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, and all mining improvements within such excavations, together with all rights and privileges thereunto appertaining.
(2) “Mining claims” means lode, placer, millsite, and tunnelsite claims, whether entered for patent, patented, or unpatented, regardless of size or shape.
(3) “Ore” includes, without limitation, metallic and nonmetallic mineral substances of every kind, except those specifically excluded under section 39-6-104.
(4) “Other land” means any parcel of real property which is not a mining claim.
39-6-102. Abstract and map of mining claims. (Repealed)
39-6-103. Listing of mining claims and mines.
(1) The assessor shall list all mining claims and mines located within his county on the assessment date, including for each claim the name of the lode, placer, millsite, or tunnelsite, the United States mineral survey number, if any, the name of the mining district in which such claim is located, and the number of acres contained in such claim. If a claim is not patented, the numbers of the book and page at which the location of such claim is recorded in the county records shall be used in place of the United States mineral survey number. If two or more mining claims are included in one patent with one United States survey number, the assessor shall list together such mining claims with the one survey number and the total number of acres contained therein. In listing mining claims, abbreviations of words and figures may be used. If other land is part of such mine, then the numbers of the book and page at which the conveyance deed is recorded on the legal description of such other land shall be used in place of the United States mineral survey number.
(2) Whenever, to the knowledge of the assessor, contiguous mining claims are worked or operated through or by means of the same shafts, tunnels, or other openings, they shall be listed as one unit; and whenever, to the knowledge of the assessor, contiguous placer claims are worked or operated by means of the same ditch or other works, they shall be listed as one unit, including such ditch or other works; and whenever, to the knowledge of the assessor, contiguous other land is used in the same manner as the claims referred to in this subsection (2), it shall also be listed as one unit.
(3) The mining property of a mine shall include mining claims and all other lands and interests therein, whether owned by federal, state, or lesser governmental subdivisions or otherwise and whether owned in fee or held by discovery and location or under easement, lease, license, or other arrangement with the owner thereof, unless otherwise provided for in this article.
39-6-104. Classification of mines.
All mines, except mines worked or operated primarily for coal, asphaltum, rock, limestone, dolomite, or other stone products, sand, gravel, clay, or earths, shall, for the purpose of valuation for assessment, be divided into two classes: Producing and nonproducing.
39-6-105. Producing mines defined.
All mines whose gross proceeds during the preceding calendar year have exceeded the amount of five thousand dollars shall be classified as producing mines, and all others shall be classified as nonproducing mines. Mines shall be classified in the manner provided for in this article regardless of the processing method, the ultimate use, or the consumption of the ores or minerals for which they are primarily worked or operated.
39-6-106. Valuation for assessment of producing mines.
(1) Every person owning or operating any mine classified as a producing mine shall, no later than April 15 of each year, prepare, sign under the penalty of perjury in the second degree, and file with the assessor of the county wherein such mine is located a statement showing:
(a) The name of such mine and a list of mining claims and any other lands comprising the mining property of such mine, together with the total number of acres contained in each claim or parcel so listed;
(b) The name of the owner thereof, together with the name of the operator thereof, and the address of each;
(c) The total number of acres contained in such mine and, if such mine is located in more than one county, the total number of acres contained in such mine in each county;
(d) The number of tons of ore extracted therefrom during the calendar year immediately preceding and, if the value of the products derived from the ore is used in determining gross value, the number of tons, pounds, or ounces of products derived from the ore;
(e) The gross value from production of the ore extracted during said calendar year, which means and includes the amount for which ore or the first salable products derived therefrom were or could be sold by the owner or operator of a mine, as determined using actual gross selling prices;
(f) The costs of extracting such ore, excluding the compensation of any officer or agents not actively and continuously engaged in or about the mine;
(g) The costs of treatment, reduction, transportation, and sale of such ore or the first salable products derived therefrom;
(h) The gross proceeds from production of such ore, which means and includes the value of the ore immediately after extraction, which value may be determined by deducting from gross value all costs of treatment, reduction, transportation, and sale of such ore or the first salable products derived therefrom;
(i) The net proceeds from production of such ore, which means and includes the amount determined by deducting from the gross proceeds all costs of extracting such ore.
(1.4) (a) The owner or operator of a producing mine may request permission to state an average figure for the items required by paragraphs (d) to (i) of subsection (1) of this section based on any three-year, five-year, or ten-year period immediately preceding January 1 of the year in which the statement must be filed. The same reporting method shall be used for all annual statements filed in a single year pertaining to a particular mine.
(b) (I) The owner or operator may make an initial request pursuant to this subsection (1.4) by filing the request with the board of county commissioners of each county in which the mine is located at least forty-five days prior to the reporting date specified in the introductory portion to subsection (1) of this section and attaching a copy of the request to the annual statement filed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section with the county assessor of each county in which the mine is located.
(II) The owner or operator may make subsequent changes in the reporting method pursuant to this subsection (1.4) by filing a request for a change in the reporting method with the board of county commissioners and the county assessor of every county in which the mine is located at least forty-five days prior to the reporting date specified in the introductory portion to subsection (1) of this section.
(III) The board of county commissioners of each county which receives a request pursuant to this subsection (1.4) shall approve or deny the request at least thirty days prior to the reporting date specified in the introductory portion to subsection (1) of this section. Failure of a board of county commissioners to approve or deny the request within the thirty days shall be deemed an approval of the request.
(c) Once an owner or operator has made the initial election allowed by this subsection (1.4), the owner or operator shall file all subsequent annual statements pursuant to subsection (1) of this section using the same reporting method. The owner or operator shall not alter the reporting method until the board of county commissioners for every county in which the mine is located authorizes the use of the alternate method.
(d) The fact that authorization to alter the reporting method has not been received from all or any of the boards of county commissioners for the counties in which the mine is located shall not relieve the owner or operator from the obligation to file the annual statement pursuant to subsection (1) of this section with all counties in which the mine is located.
(1.7) As used in subsection (1) of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) (I) “Costs” means those costs directly attributable to the operation of the producing mine and to the treatment, reduction, transportation, or sale of the ore and includes, but is not limited to, allocation of:
(A) The costs of capital assets, which only include those expenditures listed on the fixed asset records of the mine;
(B) Preproduction development costs amortized over the life of the mine; and
(C) Off-site costs directly attributable to the operation of the producing mine or to the treatment, reduction, transportation, or sale of the ore; however, in no event shall off-site costs include compensation of any officer or agent not actively and continuously engaged in or about the mine.
(II) Allocation of the costs of capital assets pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall be done in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. No change in the allocation method may be made without the prior approval of the county boards of equalization in all counties in which the mine is located.
(b) “Costs” does not include:
(I) Any amounts designated as profit or margin which are attributable to any part of the treatment, reduction, transportation, or sale of the ore; or
(II) Any amounts which have been or could have been deducted previously as part of the valuation of the producing mine pursuant to this section.
(2) On the basis of the information contained in such statement, the assessor shall value such mine for assessment at an amount equal to twenty-five percent of the gross proceeds, but if the net proceeds exceed twenty-five percent of the gross proceeds, then such mine shall be valued for assessment at the amount of such net proceeds.
(3) If any mining claim or other land is owned by the same person operating a producing mine which is contiguous to said claim and if, during the preceding calendar year, ore was actually extracted from said claim or other land or transported through such claim or other land by cut or tunnel or if any phase of the operation of said producing mines was conducted on such claim or other land, then such claim or other land shall be deemed to be a part of such producing mine and assessed therewith. All other claims or other land under the same ownership shall be valued in the same manner as other real property, on an acreage basis, regardless of surface contiguity.
(4) If any mining claim comprising part of the mining property of a producing mine is not patented or entered for patent, then the possessory interest therein shall be the subject of taxation.
(5) Any increase in the valuation of a producing mine shall constitute an addition to taxable real property for purposes of the definition of “local growth” contained in section 20 (2) (g) of article X of the state constitution.
(6) This section shall apply to and affect only the valuation of producing mines pursuant to this article.
39-6-107. Valuation of improvements – machinery.
All machinery and equipment and personal property shall be listed on a personal property schedule which shall be submitted as set forth in section 39-5-107 and valued for assessment by the assessor. Improvements, except mining improvements within a mine excavation, shall be listed separately and valued for assessment by the assessor.
39-6-108. Failure to file statement.
If any person owning, operating, or managing any producing mine fails or refuses to prepare and file the statement required in section 39-6-106 or 39-6-113, or both, then the assessor shall list such property and shall value the same for assessment on the basis of the best information available to and obtainable by him.
39-6-109. Assessor to examine books – records.
(1) The assessor has the authority and right at any time to examine the books, accounts, and records of any person owning, managing, or operating a producing mine in order to verify the statement filed by such person, and, if from such examination the assessor finds such statement or any material part thereof to be willfully false or misleading, the assessor shall proceed to value such producing mine for assessment as though no statement had been filed.
(2) Upon the request of the assessor, the owner or operator of a producing mine shall provide to the assessor all documentation supporting the amounts reported on the statement filed by such owner or operator.
(3) The division of property taxation shall set forth guidelines for the implementation of this section.
39-6-110. False statements – penalty.
If any person required to file such statements willfully and knowingly subscribes to any false statement contained therein, he is guilty of perjury in the second degree and upon conviction shall be punished according to law.
39-6-111. Valuation of mines other than producing mines.
(1) Mines excepted from the provisions of section 39-6-104 shall be valued for assessment in the same manner as other real property.
(2) All mines which are classified as nonproducing mines shall be valued for assessment in the same manner as other real property.
(3) Such valuation shall be determined under this section by the assessing officer only upon preponderant evidence shown by such officer that the cost approach, market approach, and income approach result in uniform and just and equal valuation.
39-6-111.5. Calendar for notice of valuation and appeals for mines.
Notwithstanding any other provision, all producing and nonproducing mines valued pursuant to this article shall follow the schedule for personal property set forth in this title regarding notices of valuation and appeals of valuation.
39-6-112. Valuation of tunnels.
(1) A tunnel excavated for the mere purpose of exploration and discovery of mines on the public domain shall be deemed to be real property and shall be listed and valued for assessment by the name thereof unless it becomes a part of a producing mine, in which case it shall be considered a parcel thereof. A tunnel excavated for the drainage of, or the exploration of, or for giving access to the mines of those excavating such tunnel shall be deemed an appurtenance to such mines. A tunnel excavated for the drainage of, or the operation of, or for giving access to mines of persons other than those excavating such tunnel shall be deemed real property and shall be listed and valued for assessment by the name thereof.
(2) Whenever any such tunnel not appurtenant to or a parcel of a mine is situated partly in one county and partly in another county or counties or in lesser political subdivisions, the valuation thereof shall be apportioned between such counties by allocating the total value thereof between such counties or lesser political subdivisions in the proportion that the length of the center line thereof within each such county or lesser political subdivision bears to the total length thereof.
39-6-113. Mine in more than one county.
(1) (a) Whenever a mine is situated partly in one county and partly in another county or counties or in lesser political subdivisions, a copy of the statement provided for in section 39-6-106, together with a copy of a list of all machinery and equipment located within the mine, if the mine is a producing mine, shall be filed with the assessor of each such county. Any such producing mine shall be valued for assessment in accordance with the provisions of section 39-6-106 (2) at an amount agreed upon by the assessors of such counties, and, in the case of any appeal of a protest of such valuation in either or both counties, the county boards of equalization of such counties shall confer and attempt to reach agreement on the valuation.
(b) If the mine is not a producing mine, all machinery and equipment located within the mine shall nevertheless be valued at an amount agreed upon by the assessors of such counties and apportioned between such counties by allocating the total value thereof between such counties or lesser political subdivisions in the proportion that the acreage of all the mining property of the mine, determined as provided for in sections 39-6-103 and 39-6-106, within such county or lesser political subdivision bears to the total acreage thereof as so determined, as if the mine were itself a producing mine.
(2) Whenever any producing mine, worked or operated by means of an integrated mining system and comprised of consolidated mining property, is situated partly in one county and partly in another county or counties or in lesser political subdivisions, the valuation thereof and of all machinery and equipment located within or upon the mine shall be apportioned between such counties or lesser political subdivisions in the proportion that the acreage of all the mining property of the mine, determined as provided for in sections 39-6-103 and 39-6-106, within such county or lesser political subdivision bears to the total acreage thereof as so determined. The assessor of each county shall list and value for assessment the portion of such mine which is situated in such county at the amount determined for such portion by such apportionment, and taxes levied on such valuation for assessment by the board of county commissioners of such county shall be collected by the treasurer of such county as provided by law.
(3) Where a mine is situated partly in one county and partly in another county or counties or in lesser political subdivisions, the owner, operator, or manager thereof shall, no later than April 15 of each year, prepare and file with the assessor of each such county a statement showing the number of acres within each such county contained in the lands comprising the mining property of the mine, determined as provided for in sections 39-6-103 and 39-6-106, but the statement need not be filed if no changes have occurred since such a statement was filed.
(4) (a) Nothing in subsection (3) of this section shall be construed to require the owner, operator, or manager of a mine to file an additional statement if the statement filed pursuant to section 39-6-106 sets forth the number of acres of the mine in each county.
(b) Nothing in subsection (3) of this section shall be construed to relieve the owner, operator, or manager of a mine from any reporting responsibilities imposed under section 39-6-106, including the required contents of the statement filed with the assessor.
39-6-114. Mines and tunnels in more than one subdivision of a county.
Whenever any mine or tunnel is situated partly in one lesser political subdivision of a county and partly in another such subdivision of the same county, the assessor of the county shall apportion the value thereof between such lesser political subdivisions in the manner provided for in sections 39-6-112 and 39-6-113.
39-6-115. Collection.
Beginning January 1, 1980, when taxes on mines and mining claims are due, such taxes shall be a debt due from the owner or user and shall be recoverable by the treasurer by direct action in debt. The treasurer may also collect such debt as if the property were personal property.
39-6-116. Nonproducing unpatented mining claims – definitions.
“Unpatented mining claims”, as used in section 3 (1) (b) of article X of the state constitution, includes mining claims located under the federal mining laws, 30 U.S.C. sec. 22 et seq., for which a patent has not been issued; and such term also includes leasehold interests in real property obtained under the federal “Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920”, 30 U.S.C. sec. 181 et seq.
39-6-117. County boards of equalization – authority.
Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect the authority of county boards of equalization to raise, lower, or adjust any valuation for assessment appearing in the assessment roll as provided in section 39-8-102 (1).