Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73

§22 Lands open to purchase by citizens

Title 30 › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - MINERAL LANDS AND REGULATIONS IN GENERAL › § 22

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Citizens and those who've declared intent to become citizens may explore and buy valuable minerals on surveyed or unsurveyed U.S. lands, under federal law and miners' local rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §22

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Except as otherwise provided, all valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States, both surveyed and unsurveyed, shall be free and open to exploration and purchase, and the lands in which they are found to occupation and purchase, by citizens of the United States and those who have declared their intention to become such, under regulations prescribed by law, and according to the local customs or rules of miners in the several mining districts, so far as the same are applicable and not inconsistent with the laws of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification R.S. § 2319 derived from act May 10, 1872, ch. 152, § 1, 17 Stat. 91. Words “Except as otherwise provided,” were editorially supplied on authority of act Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, 41 Stat. 437, popularly known as the Mineral Lands Leasing Act, which is classified to chapter 3A (§ 181 et seq.) of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Sections 22 to 24, 26 to 28, 29, 30, 33 to 35, 37, 39 to 43, and 47 of this title are based on sections of the Revised Statutes which are derived from act May 10, 1872, ch. 152, 17 Stat. 91, popularly known as the “General Mining Act of 1872” and as the “Mining Law of 1872”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 22

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73