# After 20 years can a mineral rights owner lose them?
**URL:** https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492
**Category:** Ownership and Title
**Created:** [February 20, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492 "2016-02-20T19:29:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Ron\_Horn](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Ron_Horn)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/21 "2018-02-28T03:06:36Z")
A most interesting and troubling topic I had no idea about. Looks like Mississippi tried and failed - fortunately. I guess I need to start following the Mississippi legislature!
[https://landlinenews.com/2016/02/26/mississippi-house-bill-912-mineral-interests-revert-to-surface-owner-after-certain-period-of-time/](https://landlinenews.com/2016/02/26/mississippi-house-bill-912-mineral-interests-revert-to-surface-owner-after-certain-period-of-time/)
I can understand fragmented rights and perhaps missing rights owners through the generations, but from what I read in the Mississippi bill, there was no stipulation that some sort of attempt had to be made to contact the rights holders. Just that if no drilling had happened for 20 years, boom, your mineral rights are gone. Wonder what person(s) stuffed the legislature’s pocket to promote such a bill.
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### Author:  [@joyce\_wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/joyce_wells)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/22 "2018-02-28T14:48:38Z")
Is this in all county or just some… my children own 500 acres of mineral rights in Wayne County, West Virginia. How would I find out about the mineral taxes?
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### Author:  [@Nancy\_Mosley](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Nancy_Mosley)
#### Post date: [February 28, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/23 "2018-02-28T16:30:54Z")
Documents can be found here [Select Wayne County](https://www.cssiwv.com/inquiry)
Or this [Wayne County database](http://www.waynecountywv.us/)
See if you can find what you need there.
If they are paying taxes yearly, that is enough. Sometimes one family member pays for all the family instead of properly separating out the title and then the taxes. That is ok (to avoid having the interest sold) AS LONG AS that family member pays, and has made provision for someone else to pay if needed.
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### Author:  [@joyce\_wells](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/joyce_wells)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/24 "2018-03-01T00:21:43Z")
I could not find any taxes due on the property. Do you know any company that buys leases in Wayne County, West Virginia?
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### Author:  [@Nancy\_Mosley](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Nancy_Mosley)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/25 "2018-03-01T01:17:29Z")
Joyce, I do not know anything about leasing in Wayne County. However, if you go to the top of this page to the GROUPS menu, and go to West Virginia, there is a Wayne County group. You could join and post questions there. Maybe somebody there has some ideas.
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### Author:  [@Cindy\_McBride](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Cindy_McBride)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/26 "2018-05-30T01:51:32Z")
What about in North Dakota? The oil and mineral rights were inherited by me when my mother passed away about 5 or 6 years ago. I didn’t figure they were worth much, but now who knows? Can I write to the Capitol and inquire?
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### Author:  [@Paul\_Skoglund](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Paul_Skoglund)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/27 "2018-05-30T02:51:29Z")
Call the county register of deeds where your mineral interest(s) is/are. My minerals are in Bowman County, they have a “statement of claim” form that needs to be filed at least once every 20 years if the minerals aren’t leased if the mineral owner is not the surface owner, who can quiet claim the minerals after 20 years if they aren’t leased or the statement of claim isn’t current.
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### Author:  [@r\_w\_kennedy](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/r_w_kennedy)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/28 "2018-05-30T16:26:42Z")
Old post but Mr. Golden, your producing minerals would not be considered dormant in any case.
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### Author:  [@Cindy\_McBride](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Cindy_McBride)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/29 "2018-05-30T23:51:52Z")
Thanks for the advice, Paul. I’ll do as you recommended.
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### Author:  [@system](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/after-20-years-can-a-mineral-rights-owner-lose-them/5492/30 "2018-08-14T23:19:36Z")
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