North Dakota Century Code Title 38. Mining and Gas and Oil Production § 38-18-05. Definitions

1. “Agricultural production” means the production of any growing grass or crop attached to the surface of the land, whether or not the grass or crop is to be sold commercially, and the production of any farm animals, including farmed elk, whether or not the animals are to be sold commercially.

2. “Disturbed” means any alteration of the topsoil of the land whether the alteration is for the purpose of exploring for coal or commercial leonardite, or for the purpose of carrying out an actual mining operation.

3. “Mineral developer” means the person who acquires at least seventy-five percent of the mineral rights or a lease of at least seventy-five percent of the mineral rights for the purpose of extracting or using the mineral for nonagricultural purposes.

4. “Mineral estate” means an estate in or ownership of all or part of the minerals under a specified tract of land.

5. “Mineral lease” means any lease which purports to convey the minerals or rights relating to the minerals under a specified tract of land separate from the surface, and any other type of lease which gives or conveys rights to minerals.

6. “Mineral owner” means any person or persons who presently own the mineral estate, their successors, assigns, or predecessors in title, under a specified tract of land by means of a mineral deed, or by an exception or reservation in the deed, grant, or conveyance of the surface, or by any other means whatsoever.

7. “Minerals” means coal or commercial leonardite.

8. “Mining operation” means any type of activity, the aim of which is to discover the presence of minerals, or to remove the minerals so discovered from their original position on or in the land by any means whatsoever.

9. “Surface estate” means an estate in or ownership of the surface of a particular tract of land.

10. “Surface owner” means the person or persons who presently have valid title to the surface of the land, their successors, assigns, or predecessors in title, regardless of whether or not a portion of the land surface is occupied for a residence.