PRIA Logo™
Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73not60

§521 Mineral Leasing Claims

Title 30 › Chapter 12— MULTIPLE MINERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAME TRACTS › § 521

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Protects mining claims filed on federal land after July 31, 1939 and before February 10, 1954, as long as the chapter’s rules are followed and any valid rights already taken by others under U.S. law are respected. A claim qualifies if, when it was filed, the land was in a mineral lease or permit, had an application or offer for one, or was known to hold minerals that could be leased. Work or improvements done after the claim was first filed count fully for that claim. If the government later withdrew or reserved the land, that change is treated as if the claim had been on land that was open to location after July 31, 1939 and before the date of the withdrawal or reservation.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §521

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to the conditions and provisions of this chapter and to any valid intervening rights acquired under the laws of the United States, any mining claim located under the mining laws of the United States subsequent to July 31, 1939, and prior to February 10, 1954, on lands of the United States, which at the time of location were—
(1)included in a permit or lease issued under the mineral leasing laws; or
(2)covered by an application or offer for a permit or lease which had been filed under the mineral leasing laws; or
(3)known to be valuable for minerals subject to disposition under the mineral leasing laws,
(b)Labor performed or improvements made after the original location of and upon or for the benefit of any mining claim which shall be entitled to the benefits of this chapter under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, shall be recognized as applicable to such mining claim for all purposes to the same extent as if the validity of such mining claim were in no respect dependent upon the provisions of this chapter.
(c)As to any land covered by any mining claim which is entitled to the benefits of this chapter under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any withdrawal or reservation of lands made after the original location of such mining claim is hereby modified and amended so that the effect thereof upon such mining claim shall be the same as if such mining claim had been located upon lands of the United States which, subsequent to July 31, 1939, and prior to the date of such withdrawal or reservation, were subject to location under the mining laws of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Act Aug. 13, 1954, which enacted this chapter, amended section 1805 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and enacted provisions formerly set out as a note under section 1805 of Title 42, is popularly known as the Multiple Mineral Development Act.

Transfer of Functions

Atomic Energy Commission abolished and functions transferred by section 5814 and 5841 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. See, also,

Transfer of Functions

notes set out under those sections. SeparabilityAct Aug. 13, 1954, ch. 730, § 13, 68 Stat. 717, provided that: “If any provision of this Act [enacting this chapter], or the application of such provision to any person or circumstances, is held unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforcible [sic], the remainder of this Act or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforcible [sic], shall not be affected thereby.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 521

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60