"Know Your Mineral Rights," is an article published in The Land Report, bringing to light an important issue in which current and prospective landowners need to be informed. Unknown to many, land can be owned in what is referred to as split estates. In this situation, one owner owns the rights to the surface (the landowner) while someone else owns the rights to the subsurface (the minerals). In most states, subsurface owners have a right to extract their minerals, regardless of the surface owner's objections. The surface owners, however, must receive just compensation for any surface use or damages required by the subsurface owner in order to extract the minerals. This is a very controversial and far-reaching topic that can have a significant impact on both surface and subsurface owners (read Full Story).