800.63/1
The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Consular Officers
Special Instruction
Consular
Gentlemen: The Department of State, cooperating with other departments, is undertaking an economic study of the mineral resources of the world. This study will include amongst other phases of the subject an investigation into the legal restrictions imposed by the various countries upon aliens in securing mining concessions or operating mining properties.
Accordingly you are instructed to obtain and forward as soon as circumstances permit, information on the following points:
- (1)
- General laws and rules governing the granting of mineral concessions, so far as they effect [sic] legal titles of concessionaires and not the physical aspects of mining property.
- (2)
- Restrictions, legislative or administrative, which are placed on aliens and not on nationals in granting mining rights or concessions.
- (3)
- Restrictions, legislative or administrative, which are placed on aliens and not on nationals in operating mineral properties, or distributing mineral products.
- (4)
- Restrictions, either legislative or administrative, on the sale of mining rights and properties to aliens.
- (5)
- Information as to whether mineral rights are commonly reserved to the Government and special permits required from the Government to explore or develop mineral resources.
- (6)
- If licenses are required, restrictions, legislative or administrative, which are imposed on aliens and not on nationals.
- (7)
- Information regarding any development of mineral resources, or the distribution of mineral products, directly by the Government.
- (8)
- Information regarding Governmental financing of private companies engaged in producing or distributing mineral products.
- (9)
- Information regarding any excessively large mining grants which because of their size cannot be developed by the concessionaires in the immediate future.
- (10)
- Information regarding any monopolistic mineral grants covering the entire country.
- (11)
- The amount and character of taxes imposed by the Government on the output of minerals.
The terms “mines and minerals” as used above are to be construed broadly and include mineral oil.
If there is available a compiled mining code of recent date you are requested to forward the code with your report.
You are also requested to distinguish between restrictions which are war measures and which will, or probably will, be repealed with the resumption of normal relations and those which are of a more permanent nature.
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