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30 U.S.C. 72: Preference right of coal mine entry; acreage limitationText contains those laws in effect through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
From Title 30-MINERAL LANDS AND MININGCHAPTER 3-LANDS CONTAINING COAL, OIL, GAS, SALTS, ASPHALTIC MATERIALS, SODIUM, SULPHUR, AND BUILDING STONE
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§72. Preference right of coal mine entry; acreage limitation

Any person or association of persons severally qualified, as provided in section 71 of this title, who have opened and improved, or shall open and improve, any coal mine or mines upon the public lands, and shall be in actual possession of the same, shall be entitled to a preference right of entry, under section 71 of this title, of the mines so opened and improved: Provided, That when any association of not less than four persons, severally qualified as provided in section 71 of this title, shall have expended not less than $5,000 in working and improving any such mine or mines, such association may enter not exceeding six hundred and forty acres, including such mining improvements.

(R.S. § 2348.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

R.S. § 2348 derived from act Mar. 3, 1873, ch. 279, § 2, 17 Stat. 607.

Executive Documents

Indian Lands Excepted

See note set out under section 71 of this title.