Mineral estate
The ownership interest in the minerals beneath a parcel, separable from and generally dominant over the surface estate.
The mineral estate can be sold, leased and divided independently of the surface, and fractional interests are routinely split among many heirs over generations, which is what makes mineral title work so laborious.
Dominance means the mineral owner may access their minerals even over surface-owner objection, subject to reasonable-use standards and, on federal land, to agency requirements.
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