ORS 273.551 Mining and drilling leases on state lands; fee

The Department of State Lands, as to any land or mineral and geothermal resource rights subject to its jurisdiction and control and without restricting, limiting or repealing any other powers and authority which it has, after consultation with the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries and with concurrence of any state agency acting for the state with respect to surface rights in the subject land, may execute leases and contracts for the mining of gold, silver, copper, lead, cinnabar, gas and oil, or other valuable minerals or the exploration and development of geothermal resources upon conditions agreed upon by the Department of State Lands and the lessee.

All leases may be without limitation as to time; but the department may cancel any lease upon failure by the lessee to exercise due diligence in the prosecution of the prospecting, development or continued operation of the mine or well, and shall insert in every such lease appropriate provisions for such cancellation.

The authority granted by this section shall include the execution of leases and contracts covering submersible and submerged lands, as defined in ORS 274.005, the leasing of which is not otherwise expressly authorized by statute.

Leases and contracts executed under this section are not sales within the purview of ORS 270.100.

The department may charge a reasonable fee, to be paid by the applicant, for making necessary investigations before the execution of any such lease.

This section does not apply to permits or leases under ORS 274.705 to 274.860.