What might be the value of a small share of mineral rights in Harding County, South Dakota?
Explanation:
Through inheritance, I have possiblity of having ownship rights to minerals under 160 acres in Harding County. These right have already been divided 9 times, so my portion would be based on 1/9 of 160 acres.
The monthly dividend is about $30 after taxes.
I cannot find any record of any sales of mineral rights in Harding County.
The story:
I pursue this only because my parents, who left this to me in a will, knew of my interest in family history. The story goes that my great uncle won the land in a card game! 
The surface land was sold to a local rancher in 1987. I have visited Harding County offices and have copies of all documentation related to this land.
*My father had no other land or assests in South Dakota. All assests in his home state had been sold or transfered. Therefore there was no need to do a probate, which make this last bit of detail from his will quite complicated.
The rule of thumb for producing minerals in an area that is not particularly active is 3 to five years of revenue. So, $360 x four years or $1440, give or take.
I can’t tell from your question whether the gross amount is $30/month, or that your 1/9 is $30/month.
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Follow-up, in the event you should want to sell, you might contact the surface owner. He/she would be the most likely candidate to purchase this interest.
Is there anywhere else if can look to find sales of mineral rights that might be used for a comparison price?
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Thank you so much for your response Tim!
The gross amount that my father received was about 30$ a month. From what I have found, the area is producing but not increasing in production. I will use your number if I don’t find anything else.
I’m hoping to give a reasonable response in a form that was created based on this law linked below, item number 1) about the value of the assest. (There is no “ assessment roll” for the mineral rights.)
South Dakota Law
29A-3-1203. Succession to real property by affidavit.
Sixty days after the death of a decedent, any person claiming to be a successor to the decedent’s interest in real property in this state may file, or cause to be filed on their behalf, an affidavit describing the real property owned by the decedent and the interest of the decedent in the property. A certified or authenticated copy of the decedent’s death certificate and the affidavit must be filed with the register of deeds office in all counties where the real property of the decedent is located.
All persons claiming as successors or parties legally acting on their behalf shall sign the affidavit.
The affidavit, which is prima facie evidence of the facts included, must state:
(1) The value of the decedent’s interest in all real property located in this state does not exceed fifty thousand dollars. For real estate classified as non-agricultural, the value of the decedent’s interest in property may be determined as shown on the assessment rolls for the year in which the decedent died. For real estate classified as agricultural, the value of the decedent’s interest shall be the fair market value thereof on the date of the decedent’s death;
You might be able to find comparable sales of minerals nearby and determine the price based on the documentary or transfer taxes charged (If SD charges those). Even then, I suspect there aren’t many other mineral deeds filed in Harding County, SD.