98 ALASKA. 



only agricultural lands and not include lands entered or sought to be entered 

 under mineral land laws. 



^ :(: ^ :)< 4: H^ 4: 



Approved, March t,, 1891. (26 Stat., 1095.) 



MINERAL LANDS OPEN TO EXPLORATION, OCCUPATION, AND PURCHASE. 



1. It will he perceived that by the foregoing provisions ot law the mineral 

 lands in the public domain, surveyed or unsurveyed, are open to exploration, 

 occupation, and purchase by all citizens of the United States and all those who 

 have declared their intentions to become such. 



STATUS OK LODE-CLAIMS LOCATED PRIOR TO MAV 1 O, 1872. 



2. Bv an examination ot the several sections ot the Revised Statutes it will 

 be seen that the status of lode-claims locax^ed previous to the loth May, 1872, 

 is not changed with regard to their extent along the lode or width of surface. 



3. Mining rights acquired under such previous locations are, however, enlarged 

 by such Revised Statutes in the following respect, viz : The locators of all such 

 previouslv taken veins or lodes, their heirs and assigns, so long as they comply 

 with the laws of Congress and with State, Territorial, or local regulations 

 not in conflict therewith, governing mining claims, are invested with the exclu- 

 sive possessory right of all the surface included within the lines of their loca- 

 tions, and of all veins, lodes, or ledges throughout their entire depth, the top 

 or apex of which lies inside of such surface lines extended downward vertically, 

 although such veins, lodes, or ledges mav so far depart from a perpendicular in 

 their course downward as to extend outside the vertical side-lines of such loca- 

 tions at the surface, it being expressly provided, however, that the right ot pos- 

 session to such outside parts of said veins or ledges shall be confined to such 

 portions thereof as lie between vertical planes drawn downward, as aforesaid, 

 through the end lines of their locations so continued in their own direction that 

 such planes will intersect such exterior parts of such veins, lodes, or ledges; no 

 right being granted, however, to the claimant of such outside portion of a vein 

 or ledge to enter upon the surface location of another claimant. 



4. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that the law limits the possess- 

 ory right to veins, lodes, or ledges, other than the one named in the original 

 location, to such as were not adversely claimed on May 10, i8j2, and that 

 where such other vein or ledge was so adversely claimed at that date, the right 

 of the partv so adverselv claiming is in no wav impaired by the provisions ot 

 the Revised Statutes. 



5. In order to hold the possessory title to a mining claim located prior to 

 May 10, 1872, and for which a patent has not been issued^ the law requires that 



