Section NR 130.111 - Exploration drillhole abandonment, fee and reporting(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: (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:1. The drillhole is part of a proposed mining project for which a notification has been filed under s. 293.31, Stats.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.(b)1. All drillholes 4 inches in diameter and smaller shall be filled from the bottom of the hole upward to the ground surface with concrete or neat cement grout.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).3. When permanently abandoning an exploration drillhole all of the following restrictions apply: 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.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.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.(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.(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.(4) All abandonment reports and drilling fees shall be submitted to the department's Metallic Mining Coordinator unless the department specifies another recipient.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 130.111
Adopted by, CR 20-043: cr. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22; correction in (1) (b) 2. made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1/1/2022