Mineral Rights in Maine

Mineral Deposit Discovery on Private Property

• Discovery of mineral deposits according to the state governmental laws of Maine belong solely to the legal owner of the private property they are found upon. This holds true even if someone other than the landowner is responsible for having found the deposit.
  
  

Mining on Public Lands

• The state of Maine legislature in 2010 repealed the law allowing certain submerged and low lying state owned lands to allow mineral exploration and subsequent permit approved mining. Mineral exploration and mining is illegal in all Maine state parks.
  
  

DEP and Maine LURC

• The government agency who oversees mineral rights inquiries at a state level is the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) agency. At the local township level individual mineral rights discovery claims and inquiries are directed through the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC).
  
  

Mineral Resources Commonly Found in Maine

• In southwestern Maine deposits of semi precious gems such as tourmaline, quartz and beryl are mined for jewelry making or collecting purposes. Mineral resources that are mined commercially today in Maine and are discoverable by the explorer for claim are aggregate deposits, slate and granite.