Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, United States
Published: August 31, 2006, 7:23 pm
Updated: August 31, 2006, 7:23 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Cutler J. Cleveland
A copper mine near Hayden, AZ. Copyright © Michael Collier
Until 1920, the Mining Law of 1872 controlled the mining of all minerals in the United States, excluding coal. Under the 1872 law, prospectors needed to visibly discover a mineral before they could receive the rights to a claim of the land. However, petroleum products rarely exhibited exposure at the ground surface, forcing a prospector to drill without any claim to a land – a risky endeavor. Fear of expenditure without guarantees reduced the amount of petroleum discovered, and with mounting concern of an oil shortage after World War I, the US government passed the Mineral Leasing Act in 1920 to little debate.
Under the Act, the Bureau of Land Management leased oil, natural gas, and coal, among other minerals found on public domain lands. The Act limited the amount of acres prospectors had a right to lease, and once a lease was established, operations were continually monitored by the government. The Act also gave pipelines the right-of-way through federal lands to accommodate a more effective transport of oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid, or gaseous fuels. Congress removed some federal lands like the National Park System, Indian reservations, and Outer Continental Shelves from the list of lands available for leasing.
Further Reading
Leases and Prospecting Permits (Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute)
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Costal Services Center)
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Delete This Article
Are you absolutely sure you want to remove this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Remove This Article
Citation
Ida Kubiszewski PhD (Lead Author);Cutler J. Cleveland (Topic Editor) "Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, United States". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 31, 2006; Last revised Date August 31, 2006; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Mineral_Leasing_Act_of_1920,_United_States>
The Author
Stewardship Committee
The Encyclopedia of Earth
Dr. Ida Kubiszewski is a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University. She is also a co-founder and former-Managing Editor the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Kubiszewki is currently working as the Managing Editor for a magazine/journal hybrid called Solutions. Solutions is an outlet for discussions focusing on solutions to the complex problems we are now facing in ... (Full Bio)
A copper mine near Hayden, AZ. Copyright © Michael Collier
Until 1920, the Mining Law of 1872 controlled the mining of all minerals in the United States, excluding coal. Under the 1872 law, prospectors needed to visibly discover a mineral before they could receive the rights to a claim of the land. However, petroleum products rarely exhibited exposure at the ground surface, forcing a prospector to drill without any claim to a land – a risky endeavor. Fear of expenditure without guarantees reduced the amount of petroleum discovered, and with mounting concern of an oil shortage after World War I, the US government passed the Mineral Leasing Act in 1920 to little debate.
Under the Act, the Bureau of Land Management leased oil, natural gas, and coal, among other minerals found on public domain lands. The Act limited the amount of acres prospectors had a right to lease, and once a lease was established, operations were continually monitored by the government. The Act also gave pipelines the right-of-way through federal lands to accommodate a more effective transport of oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid, or gaseous fuels. Congress removed some federal lands like the National Park System, Indian reservations, and Outer Continental Shelves from the list of lands available for leasing.
Further Reading
Leases and Prospecting Permits (Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute)
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Costal Services Center)
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Delete This Article
Are you absolutely sure you want to remove this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Yes, Remove This Article
Site Options
0 Comments
Add Comment