Where state lands have been sold heretofore, or may be sold hereafter on any deferred payment plan under contract containing a reservation to the state of the minerals therein contained and before the payment of the total purchase price, such land shall have been leased for mineral purposes as in this act [19-10-11, 19-10-26 to 19-10-30 NMSA 1978] provided; or where before the payment of the full amount of the purchase price shall have been made or patent issued, the land shall be known, classified or reported as mineral lands, or where, by reason of proximity to known mineral lands or productive oil and gas wells, the commissioner of public lands shall deem such lands to be of probable mineral character and valuable as such, he shall make proper notation on the records of his office designating the said lands as mineral lands. The commissioner of public lands is hereby authorized to issue to the purchaser of any such mineral land or lands so classified as mineral, upon full payment of the purchase price according to the terms of the contract, a limited patent only, which shall contain reservation to the state of New Mexico to all the minerals in the said lands, together with the right to the state or its grantees, to prospect for, mine and remove the same; and such lands shall, notwithstanding the issuance of such patent, be subject to lease under the provisions of this act;

Provided, that no lease for such lands shall be issued and no person shall be authorized to prospect for, mine or remove any minerals until an indemnity bond shall be given or waiver of the same filed, as set forth in Section 5 [19-10-26 NMSA 1978] of this act.

History: Laws 1925, ch. 137, § 6; C.S. 1929, § 132-424; 1941 Comp., § 8-1120; 1953 Comp., § 7-11-21.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.