Montana Title 77. State Lands § 77-3-101. Definitions

(1) “Full market value” means the highest net value of products of mining operations in United States markets, less cost of transportation and refining, not including as a deduction any cost of producing or treating at the mine.

(2) “Gems” means sapphires, rubies, and other stones commonly known as “precious stones” or “semiprecious stones”, but does not mean stones or other earth materials commonly used in building or construction work.

(3) “Metalliferous minerals” means gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, platinum, iron, and all other metallic minerals.

(4) “Mining” means the carrying on of operations of any kind for the purpose of extracting from the earth ore and other earth material containing metalliferous minerals or gems and includes operations of any kind for the extraction from ores and other earth material of metalliferous minerals or gems.

(5) “Mining lease” means a lease issued by the board for the prospecting for or mining of metalliferous minerals or gems.

(6) “Mining lessee” means the holder of a mining lease whether the holder is the original lessee under the lease or holds the lease as successor of the original lessee.

(7) “Returns” means the net amount received by the shipper from products of mining operations after deducting transportation costs, smelting charges and deductions, and other treatment costs, not including as a deduction any cost of producing or treating at the mine.