the words "valuable deposits," as used in section 211(b) and other sections of the Mineral Leasing Act. He concluded at page 12 that
The use by the Congress of the identical term ["valuable deposits"] in the Mining Law of 1872, the 1917 Potassium Act, and the Mineral Leasing Act shows that *625 it intended the test to be the same under all three statutes. The meaning commonly recognized for valuable deposit at that time was the prudent man test.
Shortly thereafter, in October 1975, additional studies showing the impact of phosphate leasing on hydrology and endangered species were directed by the Interior Secretary. At that point, all actions on pending phosphate lease applications in Osceola were suspended pending completion of the studies.
On May 7, 1976, shortly after the lawsuit, Kerr-McGeeendangered species were completed. The Bureau of Land Management was then directed to prepare a supplement to and to otherwise update the 1974 Final Environmental Statement. In response, the Department published in October 1979, a Final Supplement to the Final Environmental Statement on Phosphate Leasing on the Osceola National Forest, Florida (1979 Final Supplemental ES) Defendants' Exhibit 4.
During the period 1978-1981, both plaintiffs submitted to the Bureau of Land Management the information required for an "initial showing" of lease entitlement under the 1976 regulations. Specifically, in compliance with the newly adopted regulations calling for a description of the proposed measures to be taken to reclaim the surface, the plaintiffs responded and indicated that they intended to utilize a form of sand/clay mix technology for surface reclamation of the