In the UK, the general state ownership of mineral rights is restricted to the energy minerals, i.e., oil, gas and coal and precious metals, i.e., gold and silver. The Town and Country Planning Act, 1990 has defined ‘minerals’ as - 'all substances in or under land of a kind ordinarily worked for removal by underground or surface working, except that it does not include peat cut for purposes other than for sale.' The UK exercises sovereign control over the rights of exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in areas of the seabed and beneath the seabed, beyond territorial waters and these areas are included in the UK Continental Shelf. Around 55% of the foreshore (between mean high and mean low water), about half of the beds of estuaries and tidal rivers in the UK and the seabed within territorial waters within the limit of 12 miles along with the rights to explore for and exploit minerals in the remainder of the UK Continental Shelf, with the exclusion of oil, gas and coal are owned by the Crown Estate and managed by the Crown Estate Commissioners. The ownership of about all coal mines now rests with the Coal Authority with the privatisation of the coal industry in 1994. The provisions of the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 vested in the Crown, the ownership of oil and gas within the land area of Great Britain. The licence to explore and exploit all oil and gas resources is granted by the Department of Trade and Industry. In most of the UK the Crown owns the right to gold and silver. Mines of gold and silver are referred to as 'Mines Royal'.
For the purpose of exploration and development of these metals, Mines Royal Licence can be obtained from the Crown Estate Commissioners through the Crown Mineral Agent. The ownership of non-energy minerals with the exclusion of gold and silver, are mainly in private hands.
