[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC187]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 3A--LEASES AND PROSPECTING PERMITS
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 187. Assignment or subletting of leases; relinquishment of
rights under leases; conditions in leases for protection of
diverse interests in operation of mines, wells, etc.; State laws
not impaired
No lease issued under the authority of this chapter shall be
assigned or sublet, except with the consent of the Secretary of the
Interior. The lessee may, in the discretion of the Secretary of the
Interior, be permitted at any time to make written relinquishment of all
rights under such a lease, and upon acceptance thereof be thereby
relieved of all future obligations under said lease, and may with like
consent surrender any legal subdivision of the area included within the
lease. Each lease shall contain provisions for the purpose of insuring
the exercise of reasonable diligence, skill, and care in the operation
of said property; a provision that such rules for the safety and welfare
of the miners and for the prevention of undue waste as may be prescribed
by said Secretary shall be observed, including a restriction of the
workday to not exceeding eight hours in any one day for underground
workers except in cases of emergency; provisions prohibiting the
employment of any child under the age of sixteen in any mine below the
surface; provisions securing the workmen complete freedom of purchase;
provision requiring the payment of wages at least twice a month in
lawful money of the United States, and providing proper rules and
regulations to insure the fair and just weighing or measurement of the
coal mined by each miner, and such other provisions as he may deem
necessary to insure the sale of the production of such leased lands to
the United States and to the public at reasonable prices, for the
protection of the interests of the United States, for the prevention of
monopoly, and for the safeguarding of the public welfare. None of such
provisions shall be in conflict with the laws of the State in which the
leased property is situated.
(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 85, Sec. 30, 41 Stat. 449; Pub. L. 95-554, Sec. 5
