Lara v. SECRETARY OF INTERIOR OF UNITED STATES

OPINION

PANNER, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff Robert Lara seeks judicial review of administrative proceedings that invalidated his three placer mining claims. Defendant Secretary of the Interior counterclaims, seeking an order that plaintiff vacate the claims and remove structures on them by a certain date. I affirm the Secretary’s decision, and grant the relief requested by the Secretary in his counterclaim.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Placer mines are superficial deposits of ore that have been eroded from a vein or lode and washed downstream. The deposits are in a loose state, and are often recovered by…