(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) 'Mineral' includes: (1) Gas; (2) Oil and oil shale; (3) Coal; (4) Gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrocarbons; (5) Cement materials, sand and gravel, road materials, and building stone; (6) Chemical substances; (7) Gemstone, metallic, fissionable, and nonfissionable ores; and (8) Colloidal and other clay, steam, and geothermal resources. (c) 'Mineral interest' means an interest in a mineral estate, however created and regardless of form, whether absolute or fractional, divided or undivided, corporeal or incorporeal, including a fee simple or any lesser interest or any kind of royalty, production payment, executive right, nonexecutive right, leasehold, or lien in minerals, regardless of character. (d) 'Severed mineral interest' means a mineral interest that is severed from the interest in the surface estate overlying the mineral interest. (e) 'Surface estate' means an interest in the estate overlying a mineral interest. (f) (1) 'Surface owner' means any person vested with a whole or undivided fee simple interest or other freehold interest in the surface estate. an interest in the estate overlying a mineral interest. (f) (1) 'Surface owner' means any person vested with a whole or undivided fee simple interest or other freehold interest in the surface estate. (2) 'Surface owner' does not include the owner of a right–of–way, easement, or leasehold on the surface estate. (g) (1) 'Unknown or missing owner' means any person vested with a severed mineral interest whose present identity or location cannot be determined: (i) From the records of the county where the severed mineral interest is located; or (ii) By diligent inquiry in the vicinity of the owner’s last known place of residence. (2) 'Unknown or missing owner' includes the heirs, successors, or assignees of an unknown or missing owner.
Maryland Legal Code