NR 130.110(2)(a)1.1. Disposed at a lined, engineered solid waste facility licensed under ch. 289, Stats. Prior to disposal of the drilling mud and cuttings, any free water from the mud pit or other containment feature shall be removed and reused or properly disposed of in accordance with state and federal law. The mud and cuttings shall be mixed with either concrete, cement or lime in sufficient quantities to neutralize any acidity generated by the oxidation of the metallic sulfide minerals either at the drilling site or at the solid waste facility prior to disposal. If the cuttings were contained in a mud pit lined with plastic liner material, the liner shall be removed and disposed of at a lined, engineered solid waste facility licensed under ch. 289, Stats., and the pit shall be backfilled with native soils.

NR 130.110(2)(a)2.2. Disposed on site within the mud pit. Prior to in-place disposal of the drilling mud and cuttings, any free water from the mud pit shall be removed and reused or properly disposed of in accordance with state and federal law. The drilling mud and cuttings shall be mixed with a sufficient amount of cement to solidify the mud and cuttings and the pit shall be backfilled with native soils. If the mud pit is lined with plastic liner material, the liner shall either be removed prior to addition of cement to the drilling mud and cuttings, or the sides of the liner shall be folded over the top of the drilling mud and cuttings prior to backfilling the pit.

NR 130.110(2)(b)(b) Drilling mud and cuttings from drillholes that penetrate 50 feet or less of metallic sulfide-bearing rock may be disposed on site within the mud pit. Prior to in-place disposal of the drilling mud and cuttings, any free water from the mud pit shall be removed and reused or properly disposed of in accordance with state and federal law. The drilling mud and cuttings shall be mixed with bentonite, cement, or other clean fill and the pit shall be backfilled with native soils. If the mud pit is lined with plastic liner material, the liner shall either be removed prior to addition of cement, bentonite or other material to the drilling mud and cuttings, or the sides of the liner shall be folded over the top of the drilling mud and cuttings prior to backfilling the pit.

NR 130.111(1)(1) Upon completion of drilling, the explorer shall abandon each of its nonferrous metallic mineral exploration drillholes in accordance with whichever of the following applies:

NR 130.111(1)(a)(a) If the explorer intends to retain a drillhole for further exploration, monitoring or testing, the casing shall be left in place, and the upper end of the casing shall be sealed with a watertight and locking threaded or welded cap. Drillholes may remain temporarily abandoned for no longer than 5 years unless one of the following applies:

NR 130.111(1)(a)2.2. The department grants an extension, for no more than one additional 5-year period, based on a request by the explorer that documents the need to retain the drillhole for purposes of additional exploration activities or other evaluation purposes within the period of the extension.

NR 130.111(1)(b)2.2. Drillholes larger than 4 inches in diameter shall be filled in a manner as required in subd. 1. The department may approve alternate methods of permanently abandoning drillholes larger than 4 inches in diameter provided the methods are consistent with the procedures and materials specified in s. NR 812.26 (6) (b) and (e).

NR 130.111(1)(b)3.a.a. Filling material required under subd. 2. shall be applied through a conductor pipe, except that when practical a dump bailer may be used. When concrete is placed under water by a conductor pipe, the bottom end of the conductor pipe shall be submerged in the concrete at all times.

NR 130.111(1)(b)3.b.b. When removing all or part of the casing from an unconsolidated formation that will not stand open, such as sand or gravel, during permanent abandonment of a drillhole, the casing must be removed concurrently with the filling of the drillhole, and the bottom end of the casing shall be kept below the surface of the fill material throughout the filling process.

NR 130.111(1)(b)4.4. If a drillhole penetrates an aquifer under artesian pressure such that groundwater flows at the ground surface, approval of the method of containment of such flow and the method of eventual abandonment of the drillhole must be obtained from the department prior to abandonment.

NR 130.111(2)(2) Within 30 days after completion of temporary or permanent abandonment of a drillhole the explorer shall submit an exploration abandonment report for each drillhole to the department on forms specified by the department. The abandonment report shall describe the abandonment procedures and shall provide precise locational information for the drillhole and associated drilling mud pit. All abandonment reports shall be signed by an authorized representative of the explorer attesting to the accuracy of the information provided in the report.

NR 130.111(3)(3) The fee for drilling the first 20 or fewer drillholes in any license year shall be $200.00 per drillhole and the fee for drilling each subsequent drillhole in that same license year shall be $100.00 per drillhole. All fees shall be paid to the department upon submission of the temporary abandonment report, if temporary abandonment under sub. (1) (a) occurs, or the permanent abandonment report, if temporary abandonment does not occur. For the purpose of determining the appropriate fee, drillholes will be assigned to the license year in which drilling on that particular hole ceases and the drillhole is initially abandoned.

NR 130.111(4)(4) All abandonment reports and drilling fees shall be submitted to the department’s Metallic Mining Coordinator unless the department specifies another recipient.

NR 130.112(1)(1) Following permanent abandonment of the drillhole under s. NR 130.111 (1) (b) and revegetation and regrading of the drilling site, the explorer shall notify the department of completion of termination of each drilling site. As part of the notification, the explorer shall describe the method of drill cuttings disposal and reclamation of the drilling mud pit. This notification shall be made in writing and sent to the department’s metallic mining coordinator unless the department specifies another recipient.

NR 130.112(2)(2) The department shall notify the explorer in writing of the satisfactory or unsatisfactory completion of termination. If termination is unsatisfactory, the department shall inform the explorer of all necessary corrective measures. Following implementation of corrective measures, the explorer shall file written notice with the department’s metallic mining coordinator, unless the department specifies another recipient, specifying what measures were taken and stating that termination is complete. Failure of the explorer to comply with the department’s corrective measures may result in license revocation or suspension in accordance with s. NR 130.114 or other enforcement actions as provided in s. 293.87 (4), Stats. Upon satisfactory completion of termination of a drilling site, the department shall issue a certificate of completion. The department may not issue a certificate of completion for any drilling site that includes a temporarily abandoned drillhole.

NR 130.113(1)(1) Any authorized officer, employee, or representative of the department may enter and inspect any property, premises, or place on or at which any exploration is proposed, is being conducted or has been completed at any reasonable time for the purpose of ascertaining the state of compliance with this chapter and ch. 293, Stats.