Where online can you go to find out who owns mineral rights to a property? ?

Question

There are sites I have found but these are not government sites, they want pay to do these searches. Also, what if a property has been owned for better than 60 years or so and the mineral owner does not respond to lease requests. Does the surface owner have a chance to acquire the rights in that situation?

Answer 1

A private lease can not be found online or in an office.  You may have to see if a permit to drill has been applied for.   The surface owner does not own the mineral rights so they can not get them later.  Unless they purchase them back. /

Answer 2

The only place I can think of would be a title company - and they do charge for searches. Do you have any loans on the property? There should be a lender's policy and it may describe mineral rights. Also, the property description on the Grant Deed may have it. Your County Recorder should be able to provide a copy of the Grant Deed and legal description for a small fee, $15.00 or so...

Good luck