(a) The innovative gold recovery demonstration grant program is established as a direct grant program to give a person engaged in placer mining the opportunity to study and test new methods of gold recovery and water use reduction.
(b) The commissioner of natural resources may make a grant under this section to a person that has
(1) a proven history of successful placer mining in the state;
(2) the capability to produce verifiable results; and
(3) the capability to study and test new methods of gold recovery and water use reduction under actual operating conditions.
(c) The commissioner of natural resources may not make a grant under this section to a person in excess of $100,000.
(d) The commissioner of natural resources shall monitor and evaluate the results of grants made under this section.