§182-5 Mining leases on reserved lands. If any mineral is discovered or known to exist on reserved lands, any interested person may notify the board of the person's desire to apply for a mining lease. The notice shall be accompanied by a fee of $100 together with a description of the land desired to be leased and the minerals involved and information and maps as the board may by rule prescribe. The board may grant a mining lease on reserved lands in accordance with section 182-4, or the board by the vote of two-thirds of the members to which the board is entitled, without public auction, may grant a mining lease on reserved lands to the occupier thereof. A mining lease may be granted to a person other than the occupier if the occupier has assigned the occupier's rights to apply for a mining lease to another person, in which case only an assignee may be granted a mining lease. Any provisions to the contrary notwithstanding, if the board decides that it is appropriate to grant a geothermal mining lease on the reserved lands, the surface owner or the owner's assignee shall have the first right of refusal for a mining lease. If the occupier or the occupier's assignee of the right to obtain a mining lease should fail to apply for a mining lease within six months from the date of notice from the board of a finding by the board that it is in the public interest that the minerals on the reserved lands be mined, a mining lease shall be granted under section 182-4; provided that bidders at the public auction shall bid on an amount to be paid to the State for a mining lease granting to the lessee the right to exploit minerals reserved to the State. [L 1963, c 11, pt of §1; Supp, §99A-5; HRS §182-5; am L 1978, c 135, §4; gen ch 1985; am L 1988, c 378, §2; am L 2012, c 97, §3; am L 2016, c 220, §5]