Before the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act came into force, the position was that the landowner was also the owner of everything that is above and below the land, including the minerals. The landowner, subject to consent in terms of the Minerals Act, had the right to mine any minerals on his or her land and could dispose of such minerals for his or her own account. The landowner also had the right to sell the mineral rights to third parties, thereby severing the ownership of the ...