Virginia Law

A. Subject to the provisions of subsection B, in any case in which either (i) a claim to coal, minerals, ore, oil, or subsurface substances in, on, or under lands in the Commonwealth or (ii) the right to enter such land for the purpose of exploring, mining, boring, and sinking shafts for such coal, minerals, ore, oil, or subsurface substances is derived or reserved by any writing made 35 years or more prior to the institution of the action pursuant to § 45.2-401, it shall be prima facie presumed that no coal, minerals, ore, oil, or subsurface substances exist in, on, or under such lands, except lands lying west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

B. The provisions of subsection A shall apply only if (i) for a period of 35 years or more, such right to explore or mine has not been exercised, the person having such claim or right has never been charged with taxes thereon, all the taxes on the land have been charged to and paid by the person holding the land subject to such right to explore or mine, and no deed of bargain and sale of such claim or reservation in such mineral rights in the lands embraced in such claim has been recorded in the clerk's office of the county wherein the lands are located or (ii) the right to explore and mine has been exercised, the coal, minerals, ore, oil, or subsurface substances in or on the land have been exhausted, and the right of mining or boring has been abandoned for a period of 35 years or more.

1924, p. 719; 1930, p. 721; Michie Code 1942, § 6239a; 1944, p. 48; Code 1950, § 55-154; 1956, c. 642; 1964, c. 377; 1968, c. 319; 1970, c. 350; 1972, c. 306; 1973, c. 123; 1974, c. 238; 1977, c. 309; 1980, c. 310; 1981, c. 518; 1984, c. 452; 2019, c. 712, § 45.1-161.311:9; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. The owner or owners of land subject to a claim or right pursuant to § 45.2-400 separately or jointly may bring an action requesting the extinguishment of such claim or right. The person by whom such claim by such writing was derived or reserved, or his successors in title, shall be made a defendant by name so far as known or as defendants unknown if such successors in title are unknown. The venue for such action shall be as specified in subdivision 3 of § 8.01-261.

B. The court shall allow a period of not less than six months from the time the cause is docketed and set for hearing to elapse. During such time, the defendant may explore and discover any commercial coal, mineral, ore, oil, or subsurface substance.

C. In the absence of satisfactory evidence to the contrary, it shall be presumed that no commercial coal, mineral, ore, oil, or subsurface substance exists in or on the land, and the court shall enter an order declaring the claim or right to be a cloud on the title and releasing the land therefrom and extinguishing such claim or right. However, if the defendant or defendants prove that a commercial coal, mineral, ore, oil, or subsurface substance exists in or on the land, the court shall require such coal, mineral, ore, oil, or subsurface substance to be charged with taxes according to law.

1924, p. 720; 1930, p. 721; Michie Code 1942, § 6239a; 1944, p. 49; Code 1950, § 55-155; 1977, c. 624; 2019, c. 712, § 45.1-161.311:11; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.

A. Except as otherwise provided in the deed by which the owner of minerals derives title, the owner of minerals shall be presumed to be the owner of the shell, container chamber, passage, or space opened underground for the removal of the minerals, with full right to haul and transport minerals from other lands and to pass people, materials, equipment, water, and air through such space. No injunction shall lie to prohibit the use of any such shell, container chamber, passage, or space opened underground by the owner of minerals for any such purpose. The provisions of this subsection shall not affect any contractual obligation or agreement entered into prior to July 1, 1981.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, with respect to the coal mineral estate, unless expressly excepted by the instrument creating the mineral ownership or lease interest, the owner or, if leased, the lessee of the coal mineral estate or its successor, assign, sublessee, or affiliate retains the right to any coal remaining in place after the removal of surrounding coal, as well as the right to use the shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void opened underground that was created by the removal of the coal.

1. Any such shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void opened underground that is within the boundaries of a mine permit issued under this title may be used consistent with state and federal regulations for any activity related to removal of coal from any lands for which a permit to mine coal has been approved, and no injunction shall lie to prohibit such use.

2. Any such shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void opened underground that is located in a sealed mine for which a mining permit no longer exists may be used consistent with state and federal regulations for any activity related to removal of coal from any lands for which a permit to mine coal has been approved only with the consent of the owner of such shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void. Such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld if the owner has been offered reasonable compensation for such use. In determining whether an offer of compensation is reasonable, a court shall be guided by the compensation set forth in other leases for the use of mine voids as is customary in the area.

C. No provision of subdivision B 1 or 2 shall (i) affect any provision contained in any contract in effect as of July 1, 2012, expressly prohibiting the use of any shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void opened underground that was created by the removal of the coal; (ii) alter any contract entered into prior to July 1, 2012, that provides for the payment of compensation from the lessee to the lessor expressly for the use of any shell, container chamber, passage, space, or void opened underground that was created by the removal of the coal; or (iii) have any bearing on or application to any determination of ownership rights in natural gas or coalbed methane.

1981, c. 291, § 55-154.2; 2012, c. 695; 2019, c. 712, § 45.1-161.311:10; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.