§ 212.56 Geological and geophysical permits.

(a) Permits to conduct geological and geophysical operations on Indian lands which do not conflict with any mineral lease entered into pursuant to this part may be approved by the Secretary with the consent of the Indian owner under the following conditions: (1) The permit must describe the area to be explored, the duration and the consideration to be paid the Indian owner; (2) The permit may not grant the permittee any option or preference rights to a lease or other development contract, authorize the production of, or removal of oil and gas, or geothermal resources, or other minerals except samples for assay and experimental purposes, unless specifically so stated in the permit; and (3) Copies of all data collected pursuant to operations conducted under the permit shall be forwarded to the Secretary and made available to the Indian mineral owner, unless otherwise provided in the permit. Data collected under a permit shall be held by the Secretary as privileged and proprietary information for the time prescribed in the permit. Where no time period is prescribed in the permit, the Secretary may, in the discretion of the Secretary, release such information after six (6) years. (b) A permit may be granted by the Secretary without 100 percent consent of the individual mineral owners if: (1) The minerals are owned by more than one person, and the owners of a majority of the interest therein consent to the permit; (2) The whereabouts of one or more owners of the minerals or an interest therein is unknown, and all the remaining owners of the interests consent to the permit; (3) The heirs or devisee of a deceased owner of the land or an interest therein have not been determined, and the Secretary finds that the permit activity will cause no substantial injury to the land or any owner thereof; or (4) The owners of interests in the land are so numerous that the Secretary finds it would be impractical to obtain their consent, and also finds that the permit activity will cause no substantial injury to the land or any owner thereof. (c) A lessee does not need a permit to conduct geological and geophysical operations on Indian lands, if provided for in the lessee's mineral lease, where the Indian mineral owner is also the surface land owner. In instances where the Indian mineral owner is not the surface owner, the lessee must obtain any additional necessary permits or rights of ingress or egress from the surface occupant.