; and (2) may reduce royalty and rental rates for a lease to encourage exploration for and development of hardrock minerals classified as strategic and critical by the Department of Energy. (f) Protection of land and other resources The Secretary may include in any lease or license issued under this Act such provisions as are necessary to adequately protect the lands and other resources in the vicinity of the area subject to the lease or license. For land not managed by the Department of the Interior, the Secretary shall consult with the appropriate surface management agency in formulating such provisions. 104. Competitive leasing (a) In general Subject to sections 111 and 112, Federal lands known to contain valuable deposits of hardrock minerals that are not covered by claims, licenses, or leases may only be open to hardrock mineral exploration or development through competitive leasing by the Secretary by such methods the Secretary may adopt by regulation and in such areas as the Secretary may determine, including nonmineral lands the Secretary considers necessary for processing or milling operations. The total amount of land that is subject to any such lease shall not exceed 2,560 acres. (b) Terms and requirements All terms and requirements for competitive leases under this section shall be the same as if the leases were issued noncompetitively under section 103(c). 105. Small miners leases (a) In general The Secretary may issue small miners leases to qualified small miners that apply, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, including conditions to require diligent development of the lease and to ensure protection of surface resources and groundwater. A small miners lease shall give the leaseholder the exclusive right to prospect for hardrock minerals for 3 years on up to 200 acres of contiguous or non-contiguous Federal land. The Secretary shall charge a reasonable application fee for such a lease. Rentals for such a lease shall be $5 per acre per year for the first 3 years. Such