One of the least publicized reforms being scrutinized in Congress this session is the possibility of drastically rewriting the 1872 Mining Law ^[1]. The law is an anachronism that doesn’t require clean up of old or abandoned mines and lets foriegn mining companies dig on federal land without paying a dime in royalties. So reform is needed. I only fear that this Congress, which to harken back to an old phrase, could screw up an anvil, might actually make the law worse.