Geologist

Job Title

Duties

The classified PD assigns the major duties collectively as 100% and does not provide separate duty percentages. The following duty areas organize the PD work for job-analysis and competency-linkage purposes; they do not change the official PD or assign new work.

1. Planning & Environmental Coordination
   • Develops, implements, and updates the field office's geology and minerals planning inputs (inventories, development opportunities, economic data, conflicts); uses the planning system to keep land-use plans current; serves on interdisciplinary teams for minerals-related actions (e.g., free-use permits, mineral material sales, oil and gas leasing, geothermal leasing, exploration and development drilling, and mining plans of operation under 43 CFR 3809, 3802, and 3814); participates on other Bureau EA and EIS projects.
2. Public Inquiries, Assistance & Inter Office/Agency Coordination
   • Provides written and oral assistance on laws, regulations, and policy governing mineral resources; establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with BLM offices, user groups, and State/Federal agencies; conducts informal coordination and consultations with landowners, operators, and field/district office staff to carry out minerals activities and related multiple-use programs.
3. Mineral Reports & Appraisals
   • Reviews exploration or development/operating plans for adequacy; recommends bond amounts; prepares mineral reports on salable and locatable mineral potential based on field examinations and literature searches.
4. Surface Protection, Inspection & Enforcement; Trespass
   • Provides technical expertise in formulating surface protection stipulations, standards, and mitigation; ensures ground compliance and prepares inspection/surface-use/mineral-potential reports; emphasizes inspection, enforcement, and production verification under 43 CFR 23 & 2800 (material site rights-of-way), 3100 (oil & gas APDs), 3150 (seismic notices), 3600 (mineral material sales, free-use, sampling/testing), 3715 (mining claim occupancy), 3802 (mining plan of operation), and 3809 (notices and mining plan of operation). Investigates suspected trespass, documents cases from discovery through prosecution or dismissal, and recommends corrective actions or suspension when operations are not conducted per regulations and approved plans.
5. Abandoned Mine Lands (AML)
   • Determines safe abandonment procedures for mine shafts, portals, and other features; inspects and investigates mineral operations and beneficiation facilities to ensure operations are conducted in accordance with acceptable practices.
6. Processing Leases, Permits, Notices & Plans of Operation
   • Reviews mining, prospecting, and drilling plans for adequacy under Bureau standards, including surface protection of public lands subject to mining and leasable mineral development; processes applications for mining law, mineral materials, oil and gas, and non-energy minerals; investigates lands and mineral deposits; prepares reports leading to the issuance of permits and leases; prepares approval letters for plans and notices with provisions to protect the environment, prevent mineral waste, and reclaim disturbed lands.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.