30 U.S.C. § 701 : US Code - Section 701: Authorization to convey; acreage limitations; qualified applicants; payment; "qualified officer of the United States" defined

Search 30 U.S.C. § 701 : US Code - Section 701: Authorization to convey; acreage limitations; qualified applicants; payment; "qualified officer of the United States" defined

The Secretary of the Interior may convey to any occupant of an
unpatented mining claim which is determined by the Secretary to be
invalid an interest, up to and including a fee simple, in and to an
area within the claim of not more than (a) five acres or (b) the
acreage actually occupied by him, whichever is less. The Secretary
may make a like conveyance to any occupant of an unpatented mining
claim who, after notice from a qualified officer of the United
States that the claim is believed to be invalid, relinquishes to
the United States all rights in and to such claim which he may have
under the mining laws. Any conveyance authorized by this section,
however, shall be made only to a qualified applicant, as that term
is defined in section 702 of this title, who applies therefor
within the period ending June 30, 1971, and upon payment of an
amount established in accordance with section 705 of this title.
As used in this section, the term "qualified officer of the
United States" means the Secretary of the Interior or an employee
of the Department of the Interior so designated by him: Provided,
That the Secretary may delegate his authority to designate
qualified officers to the head of any other department or agency of
the United States with respect to lands within the administrative
jurisdiction of that department or agency.