Chapter 93 — Policy for Mineral Development

93.001 Policy for Mineral Development Declares state policy to support mineral exploration, development, and production in Minnesota. 93.0015 Mineral Coordinating Committee Creates a Mineral Coordinating Committee to plan for diverse mineral development across Minnesota. 93.002 Repealed mineral development provision. 93.003 Iron Mining; Conditions Iron mine owners must keep mines in salable condition for two years after shutting down operations. 93.01 Reservation of Minerals and Water Powers The state reserves ownership of all iron, coal, copper, gold, and other valuable minerals on state-owned land. 93.02 Instruments Transferring Interest; Reservation All state land transfers must state that the state keeps the mineral rights, even if the statement is left out. 93.03 Patent Under Land Grant to Railroad; Reservation The state keeps all mineral rights when transferring railroad land grant properties. 93.04 Disposition of Minerals Reserved The state can sell, lease, or mine minerals on land it has already sold, keeping the right to enter the property. 93.05 Holder of Lease A mineral lease holder can enter sold state land to prospect, but must pay the landowner for any damages. 93.055 Action to Quiet Title to Lands Covered by Mineral Lease The attorney general can bring a lawsuit to clear the state's title to land covered by a mineral lease. 93.06 Reservation of Minerals Under Navigable Lakes The state owns all minerals under navigable lakes and rivers, even if those waters later dry up. 93.07 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.08 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.09 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.10 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.11 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.12 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.13 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.14 Leases to Prospect for Ores The commissioner may issue leases to prospect for iron ore and other minerals on state lands. 93.15 Mining Units; Designation The commissioner designates state lands as mining units and keeps a public list of available units. 93.16 Leases; Sale and Notice State mineral leases must be sold at public sale with at least 90 days' notice in official publications. 93.17 Application for Leases; Bids; Awards Mining lease bids must be submitted with a $100 fee per unit, and leases go to the highest qualifying bidder. 93.171 Eligibility and Performance Lease applicants and holders must qualify as responsible vendors and can be suspended for poor performance. 93.18 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.19 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.191 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.192 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.1925 Negotiated Leases The commissioner can issue mining leases through direct negotiation instead of public sale in certain cases. 93.193 Taconite Iron Ore Mining Lease; Extension Holders of taconite iron ore mining leases can apply to extend the lease term by 25 additional years. 93.20 Form of Lease; Required Content; Modification Sets the standard form and required terms for state mineral leases, including royalty rates and conditions. 93.201 Royalties for Taconite Concentrates Sets special royalty rules for taconite concentrates that require fine grinding or special processing. 93.202 Repealed mineral royalty provision. 93.21 Execution of Lease Mining leases must be signed by the commissioner and approved by the Executive Council to be valid. 93.22 Disposition of Payments Mineral lease payments go to the permanent fund of the trust that owns the land being mined. 93.221 Repealed mineral payment provision. 93.222 Taconite Iron Ore Special Advance Royalty Account Creates a special account for advance royalty payments from taconite iron ore mining leases. 93.223 Repealed or reserved section in the minerals management laws. 93.2235 Taconite Mining Grants; Appropriations Appropriates state funds for grants related to taconite mining development and research. 93.2236 Minerals Management Account Creates a minerals management account to fund mineral resource management activities. 93.23 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.24 Repealed mineral leasing provision. 93.245 Mining Minerals Other Than Iron Ore Sets rules for leasing and mining minerals other than iron ore on state lands. 93.25 Gas, Oil, and Ores Other Than Iron; Leases The commissioner can issue leases for gas, oil, and non-iron ores on state lands through public sale. 93.251 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.252 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.253 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.254 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.255 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.256 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.257 Repealed gas and oil leasing provision. 93.26 Leases to Be Filed All state mineral leases must be filed with the county recorder in the county where the land is located. 93.27 Assignments, Agreements, or Contracts Affecting Leases; Filing Transfers or contracts affecting state mineral leases must be filed with the commissioner and county recorder. 93.28 Approval of Instruments The commissioner must approve any instrument that changes who holds or benefits from a state mineral lease. 93.283 Repealed mineral lease approval provision. 93.285 Stockpiled Iron Ore Sets rules for state-owned iron ore that has been mined and stockpiled on state lands. 93.29 Repealed mineral provision. 93.30 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.31 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.32 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.33 Leasing Surface of Land The commissioner can lease the surface of state mineral lands for farming, recreation, or other uses. 93.335 Lands Held in Trust; Mineral Rights Only; Mineral Rights Acquired Under Tax Laws Governs how the state handles mineral rights it acquired through tax forfeiture or holds in trust. 93.34 Draining Public Waters A mining company can drain public waters if needed for mining, with approval and environmental protections. 93.351 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.352 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.353 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.354 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.355 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.356 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.357 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.37 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.38 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.39 Repealed mineral lands provision. 93.41 State-owned Iron-bearing Materials Sets rules for the sale of state-owned iron-bearing materials like crushed rock and tailings. 93.42 Repealed iron-bearing materials provision. 93.43 Leases to Nonferrous Metallic Minerals Producers The commissioner can grant leases for mining nonferrous metallic minerals like copper and nickel on state land. 93.44 Declaration of Policy Declares state policy to require reclamation of mined land to usable condition after mining ends. 93.45 Iron Range Trail Creates the Iron Range Trail, a recreation trail along the Mesabi Range in northeastern Minnesota. 93.46 Definitions Defines key terms for the mine land reclamation laws, including mining, operator, and reclamation. 93.461 Peat Included in Mine Land Reclamation Peat extraction is included in mine land reclamation requirements. 93.47 Duties and Authority of Commissioner The commissioner enforces mine land reclamation rules and can adopt regulations for mining operations. 93.48 Variance The commissioner can grant a variance from mine reclamation rules if strict compliance is impractical. 93.481 Permit to Mine Mining operators must get a permit from the commissioner before starting any mining activities. 93.482 Reclamation Fees Mining operators must pay reclamation fees to help fund the state's mine land restoration programs. 93.483 Contested Case Disputes over mining permits or reclamation can be resolved through a contested case hearing. 93.49 Financial Assurance of Operator Mining operators must post a bond or other financial guarantee to ensure mine land is properly reclaimed. 93.50 Appeal Mining permit decisions by the commissioner can be appealed through the courts. 93.51 Penalties for Violation Violating mine land reclamation laws can result in fines and criminal penalties. 93.513 Prohibition on Production of Gas or Oil Without Permit No one may produce gas or oil in Minnesota without a permit from the commissioner. 93.514 Gas and Oil Production Rulemaking The commissioner can adopt rules governing gas and oil production in Minnesota. 93.515 Oil and Gas Wells; Rules Relating to Spacing, Pooling, and Unitization The commissioner can make rules about well spacing, pooling, and unitization for oil and gas production. 93.516 Gas and Oil Leasing Sets rules for leasing state-owned gas and oil rights. 93.52 Ownership of Severed Mineral Interests Mineral rights can be owned separately from the surface land, and this section governs those split interests. 93.53 Repealed severed mineral interests provision. 93.54 Repealed severed mineral interests provision. 93.55 Forfeiture of Severed Mineral Interest Unused severed mineral interests can be forfeited to the state if the owner does not record them periodically. 93.551 Validation of Certain Statements; Correction of Certain Errors Allows correction of errors in mineral interest filings and validates certain past statements. 93.56 Repealed severed mineral interests provision. 93.57 Repealed severed mineral interests provision. 93.58 Repealed mineral provision. 93.61 Drill Core Library Access The state maintains a drill core library for public access to geological samples from mineral exploration.