Subdivision 1. Public policy. It is hereby declared to be in the public interest of this state as a whole, and in particular with respect to counties or other political subdivisions, to encourage the location of all deposits of iron ore hitherto unknown to such political subdivisions, that may be susceptible of economic exploitation.
Subd. 2. Unmined iron ore; valuation petition. When in the opinion of the duly constituted authorities of a taxing district there are in existence reserves of unmined iron ore located in such district, these authorities may petition the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation for authority to petition the county assessor to verify the existence of such reserves and to ascertain the value thereof by drilling in a manner consistent with established engineering and geological exploration methods, in order that such taxing district may be able to forecast in a proper manner its future economic and fiscal potentials. The commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation may grant the authority to petition only after consultation with the advisory board.
Subd. 3. Refusal to permit valuation; easement. If the fee owner of the land on which the unmined iron ore is believed to be located, or the owner of a mineral interest therein, refuses to permit the county assessor to ascertain the value of unmined iron ore believed to be located on such land, the county attorney, acting in the name of the county may institute proceedings under chapter 117, for the express purpose of being granted an easement which would permit the county assessor to verify whether or not such land does, in fact, contain reserves of unmined iron ore.
Subd. 4. Discharge of easement. When the county assessor has verified the existence of reserves of iron ore and has ascertained the value of such reserves, or in the alternative has failed to locate any reserves susceptible of being economically exploited, the assessor shall notify the county attorney, and the county attorney shall then, by appropriate means, request the district court to discharge the easement secured for the purpose stated above.
Subd. 5. Payment of costs; reimbursement. The cost of such exploration or drilling plus any damages to the property which may be assessed by the district court shall be paid by the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation from amounts appropriated to the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation under section 298.22. The commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation shall be reimbursed for one-half of the amounts thus expended. Such reimbursement shall be made by the taxing districts in the proportion that each such taxing district's levy on the property involved bears to the total levy on such property. Such reimbursement shall be made to the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation in the manner provided by section 298.221.
Subd. 6. Refusal to reimburse; reduction of other payments. If any taxing district refuses to pay its share of the reimbursement as provided in subdivision 5, the county auditor is hereby authorized to reduce payments required to be made by the county to such taxing district under other provisions of law. Thereafter the auditor shall draw a warrant, which shall be deposited with the state treasury in accordance with section 298.221, to the credit of the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation.
Subd. 7. Area of application. The provisions of this section shall not apply in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
1974 c 365 s 1; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1986 c 444; 2017 c 94 art 7 s 51-53
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 296 - 299 — Excise And Sales Taxes
Section 298.001 — Definitions.
Section 298.01 — Mining Or Producing Ores.
Section 298.015 — Net Proceeds Tax On Mining.
Section 298.016 — Gross Proceeds.
Section 298.018 — Distribution Of Proceeds.
Section 298.16 — Taxes To Be Credited To General Fund.
Section 298.17 — Occupation Taxes To Be Apportioned.
Section 298.18 — Taxes To Go To General Fund If Section 298.17 Invalid.
Section 298.22 — Iron Range Resources And Rehabilitation.
Section 298.221 — Receipts From Contracts; Appropriation.
Section 298.2211 — Financing Activities.
Section 298.2212 — Investment Of Funds.
Section 298.2214 — Iron Range Higher Education.
Section 298.2215 — County Scholarship Program.
Section 298.223 — Taconite Area Environmental Protection Fund.
Section 298.224 — Investment Of Funds; Income.
Section 298.225 — Appropriation.
Section 298.227 — Taconite Economic Development Fund.
Section 298.24 — Tax On Taconite And Iron Sulphides.
Section 298.25 — Taxes Additional To Occupation Tax; In Lieu Of Other Taxes.
Section 298.26 — Tax On Unmined Taconite And Iron Sulphides.
Section 298.27 — Collection And Payment Of Tax.
Section 298.28 — Division And Distribution Of Proceeds.
Section 298.282 — Distribution Of Taconite Municipal Aid Account; Taconite Municipal Aid; Payment.
Section 298.283 — Change Of Status Of Municipality; Date For Determining Status.
Section 298.285 — State Aid Amount; Appropriation.
Section 298.293 — Expending Funds.
Section 298.294 — Investment Of Fund.
Section 298.296 — Operation Of Fund.
Section 298.2961 — Producer Grants.
Section 298.297 — Advisory Committees.
Section 298.31 — [Private, 1945 c 283 s 1]
Section 298.34 — Semitaconite, Taxation, Definitions.
Section 298.35 — Imposition Of Tax; Amount.
Section 298.36 — Nature Of Tax.
Section 298.37 — Assessment At Local Tax Rate.
Section 298.38 — Payment And Collection.
Section 298.39 — Distribution Of Proceeds.
Section 298.391 — Agglomerating Facilities Definitions.
Section 298.392 — Qualification Of Agglomerating Facilities; Procedure And Order.
Section 298.393 — Imposition Of Tax; Amount.
Section 298.394 — Nature Of Tax.
Section 298.395 — Payment And Collection.
Section 298.396 — Distribution Of Proceeds.
Section 298.405 — Iron Ore Bearing Material Other Than Taconite And Semitaconite; Taxation.
Section 298.46 — Exploratory Drilling For Iron Ore.
Section 298.47 — Notification Of Commissioner Of Revenue Of Unmined Iron Ore.
Section 298.48 — Mineral Rights; Exploration Data; Filing Requirements; Penalties.
Section 298.75 — Aggregate Material Removal; Production Tax.