SECTIONS 3980-3985 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 3980-3985

3980. Sluice boxes, flumes, hose, pipes, railway tracks, cars,
blacksmith shops, mills, and all other machinery or tools used in
working or developing a mine, are deemed affixed to the mine.

3981. The business of hydraulic mining may be carried on within the
state wherever and whenever it can be carried on without material
injury to navigable streams or the lands adjacent thereto.

3982. "Hydraulic mining," as used in Section 3981, is mining by
means of the application of water, under pressure, through a nozzle,
against a natural bank.

3983. Any corporation organized in this state for the purpose of
mining or carrying on mining operations in or outside this state, may
establish and maintain agencies in other states, for the transfer
and issuing of its shares. A transfer or issue of the shares of the
corporation at any of its transfer agencies, in accordance with its
bylaws, is valid and binding as fully and effectually for all
purposes as if made upon the books of the corporation at its
principal office within this state. The transfer agencies shall be
governed by the bylaws and the directors of the corporation.

3984. Any shareholder of a corporation formed under the laws of
this state for the purpose of mining, may visit, accompanied by his
or her expert, and examine the mines owned by the corporation, and
every part thereof, at any time he or she may see fit.
When the shareholder applies to the president of the corporation,
the president shall immediately cause the secretary thereof to issue
and deliver to the shareholder an order, under the seal of the
corporation, directed to the superintendent, commanding him or her to
show and exhibit parts of the mines that the shareholder named in
the order may desire to visit and examine. The superintendent, on
receiving the order, shall furnish the shareholder every facility for
making a full and complete inspection of the mines, and of the
workings therein, and shall either accompany the shareholder in
person or furnish some person familiar with the mines to accompany
the shareholder in the visit to and through the mines and every part
thereof.
If the superintendent fails to obey the order, the shareholder may
recover, in any court of competent jurisdiction, against the
corporation, the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) and traveling
expenses to and from the mine, as liquidated damages, together with
costs of suit. In case of a refusal, the directors of the corporation
shall immediately remove the officer so refusing, and thereafter he
or she shall not be employed directly or indirectly by the
corporation and shall not be paid any salary.

3985. All grubstake contracts and prospecting agreements entered
into after September 19, 1939, and which may in any way affect the
title of mining locations, or other locations under the mining laws
of this state, shall be void and of no effect unless the instrument
has first been recorded in the office of the county recorder of the
county in which the instrument is made. The instrument shall be duly
acknowledged before a notary public or other person competent to take
acknowledgments. Grubstake contracts and prospecting agreements,
duly acknowledged and recorded as provided for in this section, shall
be prima facie evidence in all courts in this state in all cases
where the title to mining locations and other locations under the
mining laws of this state are in dispute.