1998 Minnesota Statutes

     93.15 Mining units; designation; area.  

    Subdivision 1.  The commissioner of natural resources may 
 designate any lands belonging to the state or in which the state 
 has an interest as mining units and may rearrange or modify such 
 mining units from time to time, subject to the limitations 
 herein prescribed.  No mining unit shall contain lands belonging 
 to more than one permanent trust fund.  Lands which have been 
 sold by the state and are in use as part of the site of a plant 
 for the production of taconite concentrates shall not be 
 designated as mining units.  Each mining unit shall consist of a 
 contiguous tract not exceeding 80 acres in area except as 
 follows: 

    (1) An area not exceeding 90 acres consisting of or 
 including one or more government lots or fractional or oversized 
 subdivisions according to the government survey may be included 
 in one mining unit.  

    (2) An area of any size which has been covered by a state 
 mining lease or contract heretofore issued and heretofore or 
 hereafter terminated may be included in one mining unit.  

    (3) An area of any size within the bed of any public waters 
 belonging to the state may be included in one mining unit.  

    Subd. 2.  The commissioner shall prepare and keep on file 
 in the office of the division of lands and minerals of the 
 department of natural resources and at such other places as the 
 commissioner may direct a list of the mining units designated 
 hereunder, giving the descriptions thereof and such other 
 information as the commissioner deems necessary.  In case the 
 commissioner shall prescribe special conditions to be included 
 in a prospecting permit or lease for any mining unit as 
 authorized by law, a statement of such conditions shall be 
 included with the designation of such unit in the list.  

    Subd. 3.  Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, 
 each prospecting permit or mining lease shall cover only one 
 entire mining unit designated as herein provided, and the 
 designation of a mining unit in force at the time an application 
 for a prospecting permit therefor is received by the 
 commissioner according to law shall govern and shall remain 
 unchanged for the purposes of such permit or any lease issued 
 pursuant thereto.  

    HIST: (6404) 1921 c 412 s 2; 1925 c 395 s 1; 1927 c 389 s 1; 
 1941 c 546 s 1; 1943 c 233 s 1; 1951 c 547 s 1; 1953 c 558 s 1; 
 1969 c 1129 art 10 s 2; 1986 c 444