12-E:9 Leasing of State Owned Lands. –
I. The commissioner shall make recommendations to the governor and council pursuant to RSA 4:40 concerning leasing of state owned lands for mining activities.
II. When approved by the governor and council, the commissioner shall issue prospecting permits to persons pursuant to rules adopted under RSA 12-E:2, VIII(f) to entitle persons to prospect for valuable mineral deposits, excepting common sand and gravel, on state owned lands. Any prospector who discovers a valuable mineral deposit may submit an application for a mining permit.
III. The commissioner shall determine the terms of any mining lease, including the amount of acreage, duration of lease, rental cost, royalties, and any conditions concerning extraction of minerals or reclamation of the leased land upon application for such lease by the prospector.
IV. Persons who lease such property for any mining operations shall be required to obtain a mining permit in accordance with this chapter.