---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1461"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1461"
heading: "Prohibited acts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1461"
units:
  - "Chapter 26 — Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources"
  - "Subchapter III — Enforcement and Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §1461. Prohibited acts


It is unlawful for any [person](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) who is a [United States citizen](/usc/30/1403.md?p=14), or a foreign national on board a vessel documented or numbered under the laws of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13), or subject to the jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13) under a [reciprocating state](/usc/30/1403.md?p=11) agreement negotiated under [section 1428(e) of this title](/usc/30/1428.md?p=e)—

- (1) to violate any provision of this chapter, any regulation issued under this chapter, or any term, condition, or restriction of any license or permit issued to such [person](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) under this chapter;
- (2) to engage in [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) or [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) after the revocation, or during the period of suspension, of an applicable license or permit issued under this chapter, to engage in a particular [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) or [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) activity during the period such activity has been suspended under this chapter, or to fail to modify a particular [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) or [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) activity for which modification was required under this chapter;
- (3) to refuse to permit any Federal officer or employee authorized to monitor or enforce the provisions of this chapter, as provided in sections [1424](/usc/30/1424.md) and [1464](/usc/30/1464.md) of this title, to board a vessel documented or numbered under the laws of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13), or any vessel for which such boarding is authorized by a treaty or executive agreement, for purposes of conducting any search or inspection in connection with the monitoring or enforcement of this chapter or any regulation, term, condition, or restriction referred to in [paragraph (1)](#1);
- (4) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any such authorized officer or employee in the conduct of any search or inspection described in [paragraph (3)](#3);
- (5) to resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this section;
- (6) to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of any [hard mineral resource](/usc/30/1403.md?p=6) recovered, processed, or retained in violation of this chapter or any regulation, term, condition, or restriction referred to in [paragraph (1)](#1); or
- (7) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension or arrest of any other [person](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) subject to this section knowing that such other [person](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) has committed any act prohibited by this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–283, title III, § 301, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 577.)