# 30 U.S.C. § 38: Evidence of possession and work to establish right to patent

> Federal · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s38

## Section

- **Citation:** 30 U.S.C. § 38
- **Heading:** Evidence of possession and work to establish right to patent
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** April 17, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 30—MINERAL LANDS AND MINING > CHAPTER 2—MINERAL LANDS AND REGULATIONS IN GENERAL

## Text

Where such person or association, they and their grantors, have held and worked their claims for a period equal to the time prescribed by the statute of limitations for mining claims of the State or Territory where the same may be situated, evidence of such possession and working of the claims for such period shall be sufficient to establish a right to a patent thereto under sections 21, 22 to 24, 26 to 28, 29, 30, 33 to 48, 50 to 52, 71 to 76 of this title and section 661 of title 43 , in the absence of any adverse claim; but nothing in such sections shall be deemed to impair any lien which may have attached in any way whatever to any mining claim or property thereto attached prior to the issuance of a patent.

(R.S. § 2332.)

## Nearby sections

- [30 U.S.C. § 2 Performance of duties in absence of director](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s2.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 3 Duties of United States Bureau of Mines](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s3.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 4a Omitted](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s4a.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 4e Omitted](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s4e.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 4f to 4o Transferred](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s4f...4o.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 5 Reports of investigations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s5.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 7 Fees for tests or investigations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s7.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 8 Additional mining experiment stations and mine safety stations authorized](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s8.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 9 Acceptance of lands from States](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s9.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 12 Repealed. Oct. 25, 1951, ch. 562, § 1(16) , 65 Stat. 638](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s12.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 15 Repealed. Pub. L. 86–533, § 1(17) , June 29, 1960 , 74 Stat. 248](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s15.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 23 Length of claims on veins or lodes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s23.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 24 Proof of citizenship](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s24.md)
- [30 U.S.C. § 25 Affidavit of citizenship](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s25.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t30_s38. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.