CHAPTER 15—SURFACE RESOURCES

SUBCHAPTER I—DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS ON PUBLIC LANDS

        

SUBCHAPTER II—MINING LOCATIONS

        

SUBCHAPTER I—DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS ON PUBLIC LANDS

§601. Rules and regulations governing disposal of materials; payment; removal without charge; lands excluded

The Secretary, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, may dispose of mineral materials (including but not limited to common varieties of the following: sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, cinders, and clay) and vegetative materials (including but not limited to yucca, manzanita, mesquite, cactus, and timber or other forest products) on public lands of the United States, including, for the purposes of this subchapter, land described in subchapter V of chapter 28 of title 43, if the disposal of such mineral or vegetative materials (1) is not otherwise expressly authorized by law, including, but not limited to, subchapter I of chapter 8A of title 43, and the United States mining laws, and (2) is not expressly prohibited by laws of the United States, and (3) would not be detrimental to the public interest. Such materials may be disposed of only in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter and upon the payment of adequate compensation therefor, to be determined by the Secretary: Provided, however, That, to the extent not otherwise authorized by law, the Secretary is authorized in his discretion to permit any Federal, State, or Territorial agency, unit or subdivision, including municipalities, or any association or corporation not organized for profit, to take and remove, without charge, materials and resources subject to this subchapter, for use other than for commercial or industrial purposes or resale. Where the lands have been withdrawn in aid of a function of a Federal department or agency other than the department headed by the Secretary or of a State, Territory, county, municipality, water district or other local governmental subdivision or agency, the Secretary may make disposals under this subchapter only with the consent of such other Federal department or agency or of such State, Territory, or local governmental unit. Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to apply to lands in any national park, or national monument or to any Indian lands, or lands set aside or held for the use or benefit of Indians, including lands over which jurisdiction has been transferred to the Department of the Interior by Executive order for the use of Indians. As used in this subchapter, the word "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior except that it means the Secretary of Agriculture where the lands involved are administered by him for national forest purposes or for the purposes of title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act [7 U.S.C. 1010 et seq.] or where withdrawn for the purpose of any other function of the Department of Agriculture.

(July 31, 1947, ch. 406, §1, 61 Stat. 681; July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §1, 69 Stat. 367.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Subchapter V (§1181a et seq.) of chapter 28 of title 43, referred to in text, was in the original a reference to the Acts of Aug. 28, 1937 (50 Stat. 874), and June 24, 1954 (68 Stat. 270). For complete classification of these Acts to the Code, see Tables.

Subchapter I (§315 et seq.) of chapter 8A of title 43, referred to in text, was in the original a reference to the Act of June 28, 1934 (48 Stat. 1269), known as the Taylor Grazing Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 315 of Title 43 and Tables.

The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, referred to in text, is act July 22, 1937, ch. 517, 50 Stat. 522. Title III of such Act is classified generally to subchapter III (§1010 et seq.) of chapter 33 of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1000 of Title 7 and Tables.

Amendments

1955—Act July 23, 1955, required disposal under this subchapter of common varieties of sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, and cinders, and gave the Secretary of Agriculture the same authority as to lands under his jurisdiction as the Secretary of Interior possesses as to lands under his jurisdiction in the disposal of mining and vegetative materials.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Act July 31, 1947, ch. 406, 61 Stat. 681, as amended, which is classified to this subchapter, is popularly known as the "Materials Act of 1947".

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Enforcement functions of Secretary or other official in Department of the Interior related to compliance with materials sales contracts under this subchapter and removal permits issued under this subchapter and enforcement functions of Secretary or other official in Department of Agriculture insofar as they involve lands and programs under jurisdiction of that Department related to compliance with removal of materials under this subchapter with respect to pre-construction, construction, and initial operation of transportation system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1979, §§102(e), (f), 203(a), eff. July 1, 1979, 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 1373, 1376, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as an Abolition of Office of Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.

§602. Bidding; advertising and other notice; conditions for negotiation of contract

(a) The Secretary shall dispose of materials under this subchapter to the highest responsible qualified bidder after formal advertising and such other public notice as he deems appropriate: Provided, however, That the Secretary may authorize negotiation of a contract for the disposal of materials if—

(1) the contract is for the sale of less than two hundred fifty thousand board-feet of timber; or, if

(2) the contract is for the disposal of materials to be used in connection with a public works improvement program on behalf of a Federal, State or local governmental agency and the public exigency will not permit the delay incident to advertising; or, if

(3) the contract is for the disposal of property for which it is impracticable to obtain competition.

(b) Repealed. Pub. L. 96–470, title I, §102(a), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2237.

(July 31, 1947, ch. 406, §2, 61 Stat. 681; Pub. L. 87–689, §1, Sept. 25, 1962, 76 Stat. 587; Pub. L. 94–273, §20, Apr. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 96–470, title I, §102(a), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2237.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–470 struck out subsec. (b) which required a report to be made to Congress on Apr. 1 and Oct. 1 of each year of the contracts made under subsec. (a)(2) and (3) during the period since the date of the last report, which report was to name each purchaser, furnish the appraised value of the material involved, state the amount of each contract, and describe the circumstances leading to the determination that the contract should be entered into by negotiation instead of competitive bidding after formal advertising.

1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–273 substituted "April" for "January" and "October" for "July".

1962—Pub. L. 87–689 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), substituted therein provisions requiring the Secretary to dispose of materials after formal advertising and such other public notice as he deems appropriate, and authorizing negotiation of a contract for the sale of less than 250,000 board-feet of timber, or for materials to be used in connection with public works improvement program for a Federal, State, or local governmental agency where the public exigency will not permit the delay of advertising, or for property for which it is impracticable to obtain competition, for provisions requiring publication of notice once a week for 4 consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, and competitive bidding, in cases where the value was in excess of $1,000, and permitting disposal upon such notice and in such manner as he prescribed where the value was $1,000 or less, and added subsec. (b).

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Secretary or other appropriate officer or entity in Departments of Agriculture and the Interior under this subchapter to Federal Inspector of Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 601 of this title.

§603. Disposition of moneys from disposal of materials

All moneys received from the disposal of materials under this subchapter shall be disposed of in the same manner as moneys received from the sale of public lands, except that moneys received from the disposal of materials by the Secretary of Agriculture shall be disposed of in the same manner as other moneys received by the Department of Agriculture from the administration of the lands from which the disposal of materials is made, and except that revenues from the lands described in subchapter I of chapter 44 of title 43 and subchapter III of chapter 44 of title 43 shall be disposed of in accordance with said subchapters and except that moneys received from the disposal of materials from school section lands in Alaska, reserved under section 1 of the Act of March 4, 1915 (38 Stat. 1214), shall be set apart as separate and permanent funds in the Territorial Treasury, as provided for income derived from said school section lands pursuant to said Act.

(July 31, 1947, ch. 406, §3, 61 Stat. 681; Aug. 31, 1950, ch. 830, 64 Stat. 571; July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §2, 69 Stat. 368.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Subchapter I of chapter 44 of title 43, referred to in text, was in the original a reference to act Aug. 28, 1937, ch. 876, 50 Stat. 874, which is classified principally to subchapter I (§2601 et seq.) of chapter 44 of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Subchapter III of chapter 44 of title 43, referred to in text, was in the original a reference to act June 24, 1954, ch. 357, 68 Stat. 270, which is classified principally to subchapter III (§2631 et seq.) of chapter 44 of Title 43. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Act of March 4, 1915 (38 Stat. 1214), referred to in text, is act Mar. 4, 1915, ch. 181, 38 Stat. 1214. Section 1 of that Act, which made reservation of certain Alaska lands for educational purposes, covered disposition of proceeds or income derived from reserved lands, and set out the exclusion of certain lands, was classified to section 353 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions, and was repealed by Pub. L. 85–508, §6(k), July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 343. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

1955—Act July 23, 1955, provided for the disposal of moneys received by the Secretary of Agriculture, and for the disposal of revenues from lands described in subchapters I and III of chapter 44 of title 43.

1950—Act Aug. 31, 1950, provided for setting apart as separate and permanent funds in the Territorial Treasury moneys received from disposal of materials from school section lands in Alaska.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Secretary or other appropriate officer or entity in Departments of Agriculture and the Interior under this subchapter to Federal Inspector of Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 601 of this title.

Admission of Alaska as State

Admission of Alaska into the Union was accomplished Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, as required by sections 1 and 8(c) of Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as notes preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

§604. Disposal of sand, peat moss, etc., in Alaska; contracts

Subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the Secretary may dispose of sand, stone, gravel, and vegetative materials located below highwater mark of navigable waters of the Territory of Alaska. Any contract, unexecuted in whole or in part, for the disposal under this subchapter of materials from land, title to which is transferred to a future State upon its admission to the Union, and which is situated within its boundaries, may be terminated or adopted by such State.

(July 31, 1947, ch. 406, §4, as added Aug. 31, 1950, ch. 830, 64 Stat. 572.)

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Secretary or other appropriate officer or entity in Departments of Agriculture and the Interior under this subchapter to Federal Inspector of Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 601 of this title.

Admission of Alaska as State

Admission of Alaska into the Union was accomplished Jan. 3, 1959, on issuance of Proc. No. 3269, Jan. 3, 1959, 24 F.R. 81, 73 Stat. c16, as required by sections 1 and 8(c) of Pub. L. 85–508, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 339, set out as notes preceding section 21 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

SUBCHAPTER II—MINING LOCATIONS

§611. Common varieties of sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, or cinders, and petrified wood

No deposit of common varieties of sand, stone, gravel, pumice, pumicite, or cinders and no deposit of petrified wood shall be deemed a valuable mineral deposit within the meaning of the mining laws of the United States so as to give effective validity to any mining claim hereafter located under such mining laws: Provided, however, That nothing herein shall affect the validity of any mining location based upon discovery of some other mineral occurring in or in association with such a deposit. "Common varieties" as used in this subchapter and sections 601 and 603 of this title does not include deposits of such materials which are valuable because the deposit has some property giving it distinct and special value and does not include so-called "block pumice" which occurs in nature in pieces having one dimension of two inches or more. "Petrified wood" as used in this subchapter and sections 601 and 603 of this title means agatized, opalized, petrified, or silicified wood, or any material formed by the replacement of wood by silica or other matter.

(July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §3, 69 Stat. 368; Pub. L. 87–713, §1, Sept. 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 652.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1962—Pub. L. 87–713 defined "petrified wood", and provided that no deposit of petrified wood shall be deemed a valuable mineral deposit within the mining laws of the United States.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Regulations for Removal of Limited Quantities of Petrified Wood

Pub. L. 87–713, §2, Sept. 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 652, provided that: "The Secretary of the Interior shall provide by regulation that limited quantities of petrified wood may be removed without charge from those public lands which he shall specify."

§612. Unpatented mining claims

(a) Prospecting, mining or processing operations

Any mining claim hereafter located under the mining laws of the United States shall not be used, prior to issuance of patent therefor, for any purposes other than prospecting, mining or processing operations and uses reasonably incident thereto.

(b) Reservations in the United States to use of the surface and surface resources

Rights under any mining claim hereafter located under the mining laws of the United States shall be subject, prior to issuance of patent therefor, to the right of the United States to manage and dispose of the vegetative surface resources thereof and to manage other surface resources thereof (except mineral deposits subject to location under the mining laws of the United States). Any such mining claim shall also be subject, prior to issuance of patent therefor, to the right of the United States, its permittees, and licensees, to use so much of the surface thereof as may be necessary for such purposes or for access to adjacent land: Provided, however, That any use of the surface of any such mining claim by the United States, its permittees or licensees, shall be such as not to endanger or materially interfere with prospecting, mining or processing operations or uses reasonably incident thereto: Provided further, That if at any time the locator requires more timber for his mining operations than is available to him from the claim after disposition of timber therefrom by the United States, subsequent to the location of the claim, he shall be entitled, free of charge, to be supplied with timber for such requirements from the nearest timber administered by the disposing agency which is ready for harvesting under the rules and regulations of that agency and which is substantially equivalent in kind and quantity to the timber estimated by the disposing agency to have been disposed of from the claim: Provided further, That nothing in this subchapter and sections 601 and 603 of this title shall be construed as affecting or intended to affect or in any way interfere with or modify the laws of the States which lie wholly or in part westward of the ninety-eighth meridian relating to the ownership, control, appropriation, use, and distribution of ground or surface waters within any unpatented mining claim.

(c) Severance or removal of timber

Except to the extent required for the mining claimant's prospecting, mining or processing operations and uses reasonably incident thereto, or for the construction of buildings or structures in connection therewith, or to provide clearance for such operations or uses, or to the extent authorized by the United States, no claimant of any mining claim hereafter located under the mining laws of the United States shall, prior to issuance of patent therefor, sever, remove, or use any vegetative or other surface resources thereof which are subject to management or disposition by the United States under the preceding subsection (b). Any severance or removal of timber which is permitted under the exceptions of the preceding sentence, other than severance or removal to provide clearance, shall be in accordance with sound principles of forest management.

(July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §4, 69 Stat. 368.)

§613. Procedure for determining title uncertainties

(a) Notice to mining claimants; request; publication; service

The head of a Federal department or agency which has the responsibility for administering surface resources of any lands belonging to the United States may file as to such lands in the office of the Secretary of the Interior, or in such office as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, a request for publication of notice to mining claimants, for determination of surface rights, which request shall contain a description of the lands covered thereby, showing the section or sections of the public land surveys which embrace the lands covered by such request, or if such lands are unsurveyed, either the section or sections which would probably embrace such lands when the public land surveys are extended to such lands or a tie by courses and distances to an approved United States mineral monument.

The filing of such request for publication shall be accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits of a person or persons over twenty-one years of age setting forth that the affiant or affiants have examined the lands involved in a reasonable effort to ascertain whether any person or persons were in actual possession of or engaged in the working of such lands or any part thereof, and, if no person or persons were found to be in actual possession of or engaged in the working of said lands or any part thereof on the date of such examination, setting forth such fact, or, if any person or persons were so found to be in actual possession or engaged in such working on the date of such examination, setting forth the name and address of each such person, unless affiant shall have been unable through reasonable inquiry to obtain information as to the name and address of any such person, in which event the affidavit shall set forth fully the nature and results of such inquiry.

The filing of such request for publication shall also be accompanied by the certificate of a title or abstract company, or of a title abstractor, or of an attorney, based upon such company's abstractor's, or attorney's examination of those instruments which are shown by the tract indexes in the county office of record as affecting the lands described in said request, setting forth the name of any person disclosed by said instruments to have an interest in said lands under any unpatented mining claim heretofore located, together with the address of such person if such address is disclosed by such instruments of record. "Tract indexes" as used herein shall mean those indexes, if any, as to surveyed lands identifying instruments as affecting a particular legal subdivision of the public land surveys, and as to unsurveyed lands identifying instruments as affecting a particular probable legal subdivision according to a projected extension of the public land surveys.

Thereupon the Secretary of the Interior, at the expense of the requesting department or agency, shall cause notice to mining claimants to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the lands involved are situate.

Such notice shall describe the lands covered by such request, as provided heretofore, and shall notify whomever it may concern that if any person claiming or asserting under, or by virtue of, any unpatented mining claim heretofore located, rights as to such lands or any part thereof, shall fail to file in the office where such request for publication was filed (which office shall be specified in such notice) and within one hundred and fifty days from the date of the first publication of such notice (which date shall be specified in such notice), a verified statement which shall set forth, as to such unpatented mining claim—

(1) the date of location;

(2) the book and page of recordation of the notice or certificate of location;

(3) the section or sections of the public land surveys which embrace such mining claims; or if such lands are unsurveyed, either the section or sections which would probably embrace such mining claim when the public land surveys are extended to such lands or a tie by courses and distances to an approved United States mineral monument;

(4) whether such claimant is a locator or purchaser under such location; and

(5) the name and address of such claimant and names and addresses so far as known to the claimant of any other person or persons claiming any interest or interests in or under such unpatented mining claim;

such failure shall be conclusively deemed (i) to constitute a waiver and relinquishment by such mining claimant of any right, title, or interest under such mining claim contrary to or in conflict with the limitations or restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims, and (ii) to constitute a consent by such mining claimant that such mining claim, prior to issuance of patent therefor, shall be subject to the limitations and restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims, and (iii) to preclude thereafter, prior to issuance of patent, any assertion by such mining claimant of any right or title to or interest in or under such mining claim contrary to or in conflict with the limitations or restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims.

If such notice is published in a daily paper, it shall be published in the Wednesday issue for nine consecutive weeks, or, if in a weekly paper, in nine consecutive issues, or if in a semiweekly or triweekly paper, in the issue of the same day of each week for nine consecutive weeks.

Within fifteen days after the date of first publication of such notice, the department or agency requesting such publication (1) shall cause a copy of such notice to be personally delivered to or to be mailed by registered mail or by certified mail addressed to each person in possession or engaged in the working of the land whose name and address is shown by an affidavit filed as aforesaid, and to each person who may have filed, as to any lands described in said notice, a request for notices, as provided in subsection (d) of this section, and shall cause a copy of such notice to be mailed by registered mail or by certified mail to each person whose name and address is set forth in the title or abstract company's or title abstractor's or attorney's certificate filed as aforesaid, as having an interest in the lands described in said notice under any unpatented mining claim heretofore located, such notice to be directed to such person's address as set forth in such certificate; and (2) shall file in the office where said request for publication was filed an affidavit showing that copies have been so delivered or mailed.

(b) Failure to file verified statement

If any claimant under any unpatented mining claim heretofore located which embraces any of the lands described in any notice published in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, shall fail to file a verified statement, as provided in such subsection (a), within one hundred and fifty days from the date of the first publication of such notice, such failure shall be conclusively deemed, except as otherwise provided in subsection (e) of this section, (i) to constitute a waiver and relinquishment by such mining claimant of any right, title, or interest under such mining claim contrary to or in conflict with the limitations or restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims, and (ii) to constitute a consent by such mining claimant that such mining claim, prior to issuance of patent therefor, shall be subject to the limitations and restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims, and (iii) to preclude thereafter, prior to issuance of patent, any assertion by such mining claimant of any right or title to or interest in or under such mining claim contrary to or in conflict with the limitations or restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims.

(c) Hearings

If any verified statement shall be filed by a mining claimant as provided in subsection (a) of this section, then the Secretary of Interior shall fix a time and place for a hearing to determine the validity and effectiveness of any right or title to, or interest in or under such mining claim, which the mining claimant may assert contrary to or in conflict with the limitations and restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims, which place of hearing shall be in the county where the lands in question or parts thereof are located, unless the mining claimant agrees otherwise. Where verified statements are filed asserting rights to an aggregate of more than twenty mining claims, any single hearing shall be limited to a maximum of twenty mining claims unless the parties affected shall otherwise stipulate and as many separate hearing ¹ shall be set as shall be necessary to comply with this provision. The procedures with respect to notice of such a hearing and the conduct thereof, and in respect to appeals shall follow the then established general procedures and rules of practice of the Department of the Interior in respect to contests or protests affecting public lands of the United States. If, pursuant to such a hearing the final decision rendered in the matter shall affirm the validity and effectiveness of any mining claimant's so asserted right or interest under the mining claim, then no subsequent proceedings under this section shall have any force or effect upon the so-affirmed right or interest of such mining claimant under such mining claim. If at any time prior to a hearing the department or agency requesting publication of notice and any person filing a verified statement pursuant to such notice shall so stipulate, then to the extent so stipulated, but only to such extent, no hearing shall be held with respect to rights asserted under that verified statement, and to the extent defined by the stipulation the rights asserted under that verified statement shall be deemed to be unaffected by that particular published notice.

(d) Request for copy of notice

Any person claiming any right under or by virtue of any unpatented mining claim heretofore located and desiring to receive a copy of any notice to mining claimants which may be published as provided in subsection (a) of this section, and which may affect lands embraced in such mining claim, may cause to be filed for record in the county office of record where the notice or certificate of location of such mining claim shall have been recorded, a duly acknowledged request for a copy of any such notice. Such request for copies shall set forth the name and address of the person requesting copies and shall also set forth, as to each heretofore located unpatented mining claim under which such person asserts rights—

(1) the date of location;

(2) the book and page of the recordation of the notice or certificate of location; and

(3) the section or sections of the public land surveys which embrace such mining claim; or if such lands are unsurveyed, either the section or sections which would probably embrace such mining claim when the public land surveys are extended to such lands or a tie by courses and distances to an approved United States mineral monument.

Other than in respect to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section as to personal delivery or mailing of copies of notices and in respect to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, no such request for copies of published notices and no statement or allegation in such request and no recordation thereof shall affect title to any mining claim or to any land or be deemed to constitute constructive notice to any person that the person requesting copies has, or claims, any right, title, or interest in or under any mining claim referred to in such request.

(e) Failure to deliver or mail copy of notice

If any department or agency requesting publication shall fail to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of this section as to the personal delivery or mailing of a copy of notice to any person, the publication of such notice shall be deemed wholly ineffectual as to that person or as to the rights asserted by that person and the failure of that person to file a verified statement, as provided in such notice, shall in no manner affect, diminish, prejudice or bar any rights of that person.

(July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §5, 69 Stat. 369; Pub. L. 86–507, §1(26), June 11, 1960, 74 Stat. 201.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1960—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–507 inserted "or by certified mail" after "registered mail" in two places in last paragraph.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "hearings".

§614. Waiver of rights

The owner or owners of any unpatented mining claim heretofore located may waive and relinquish all rights thereunder which are contrary to or in conflict with the limitations or restrictions specified in section 612 of this title as to hereafter located unpatented mining claims. The execution and acknowledgment of such a waiver and relinquishment by such owner or owners and the recordation thereof in the office where the notice or certificate of location of such mining claim is of record shall render such mining claim thereafter and prior to issuance of patent subject to the limitations and restrictions in section 612 of this title in all respects as if said mining claim had been located after July 23, 1955, but no such waiver or relinquishment shall be deemed in any manner to constitute any concession as to the date of priority of rights under said mining claim or as to the validity thereof.

(July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §6, 69 Stat. 372.)

§615. Limitation of existing rights

Nothing in this subchapter and sections 601 and 603 of this title shall be construed in any manner to limit or restrict or to authorize the limitation or restriction of any existing rights of any claimant under any valid mining claim heretofore located, except as such rights may be limited or restricted as a result of a proceeding pursuant to section 613 of this title, or as a result of a waiver and relinquishment pursuant to section 614 of this title; and nothing in this subchapter and sections 601 and 603 of this title shall be construed in any manner to authorized inclusion in any patent hereafter issued under the mining laws of the United States for any mining claim heretofore or hereafter located, of any reservation, limitation, or restriction not otherwise authorized by law, or to limit or repeal any existing authority to include any reservation, limitation, or restriction in any such patent, or to limit or restrict any use of the lands covered by any patented or unpatented mining claim by the United States, its lessees, permittees, and licensees which is otherwise authorized by law.

(July 23, 1955, ch. 375, §7, 69 Stat. 372.)