The most important question in mineral rights ownership is often answered by a single sentence buried in a deed: did the seller keep the minerals when they sold the land? That sentence is the mineral reservation, and knowing how to find and read it saves you from guessing about what you own.

Where to Look

Mineral reservations appear in the granting clause or the exceptions and reservations section of a deed. When someone sells land, the deed describes what's being conveyed. Any minerals being kept by the seller will be listed as an exception or reservation.

Look for language that starts with phrases like:

Everything after these phrases describes what the seller kept. If you see mineral language here, the minerals (or some portion of them) were not included in the sale.

Common Reservation Language

Full Mineral Reservation

"Reserving unto the grantor, their heirs and assigns, all oil, gas, and other minerals in, on, and under the above described lands."

This means the seller kept all mineral rights. The buyer got the surface only.

Fractional Reservation

"Reserving unto the grantor an undivided one-half (1/2) interest in and to all oil, gas, and other minerals in, on, and under said lands."

The seller kept half the minerals. The buyer received the surface and half the minerals.

Specific Mineral Reservation

"Reserving all oil and gas rights."

This reserves oil and gas but may not reserve other minerals (coal, limestone, sand, gravel). The scope depends on state law and the specific language used. In Pennsylvania, as noted in our state guide, the word "minerals" alone may not include oil and gas.

Royalty Reservation

"Reserving unto the grantor a 1/16 royalty interest in all oil, gas, and other minerals."

This is different from a mineral reservation. The seller kept a royalty interest, not the minerals themselves. A royalty interest entitles the holder to a share of production revenue but does not include the right to lease. The owner of the remaining minerals can lease, but the royalty holder gets their share regardless.

Key Phrases to Understand

"Undivided interest" means the ownership is not tied to a specific portion of the land. A 1/4 undivided mineral interest covers the entire tract, not just one quarter of it. All mineral owners share in any production from anywhere on the tract.

"Heirs and assigns" means the reservation passes to the seller's heirs and to anyone they transfer it to. This makes it permanent, surviving through future generations and sales.

"In, on, and under" is broad language intended to cover all minerals at all depths.

"Subject to" can introduce an existing reservation from a prior deed. If the deed you're reading says "subject to prior mineral reservations of record," there's an older deed in the chain that reserved minerals. You need to find that deed to understand the full picture.

What's NOT a Reservation

Not every mention of minerals in a deed is a reservation:

Tracing the Chain

A single deed doesn't always tell the full story. If you're trying to determine what minerals you own, you may need to read every deed in the chain of title going back to when the minerals were first severed. Each deed may add a new reservation, convey a partial interest, or reference a prior exception.

This is where the work gets tedious. Start with your deed and work backward. Look for every instance of mineral language, whether it conveys minerals to you or reserves them to someone else. If the chain is long or confusing, a landman or title attorney can run a full title opinion.

Record What You Find

Once you understand the deed language, record what you own in MinRight for each property: the fractional interest, whether it's a mineral interest or a royalty interest, and any outstanding reservations from prior owners. Attach a copy of the deed to the property record. This becomes the foundation for verifying your division orders and understanding your decimal interest.