Us Code § 502 - Reservation of minerals to the United States; rights of entry, disposition and removal
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 502 — Reservation of minerals to the United States; rights of entry, disposition and removal, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 502. Reservation of minerals to the United States; rights of entry, disposition and removal
Any mining claim given force and effect as provided in section 501 of this title shall be subject to the reservation to the United States of all minerals which, upon August 12, 1953, are provided in the mineral leasing laws to be disposed of thereunder, and the right of the United States, its lessees, permittees, and licensees, to enter upon the land covered by such mining claim to prospect for, mine, treat, store, and remove such minerals, and to use so much of the surface and subsurface of such mining claim as may be necessary for such purposes, and to enter upon such land whenever reasonably necessary for the purpose of prospecting for, mining, treating, storing, and removing such minerals on and from other lands of the United States; and any patent issued for any such mining claim shall contain such reservation.
(Aug. 12, 1953, ch. 405, §2, 67 Stat. 539.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
For definition of "mineral leasing laws", see section 505 of this title.
About This Section
30 U.S.C. § 502 is part of Title 30 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 30 U.S.C. § 502. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.