What is created when an owner conveys title to minerals underlying their land?

When an owner conveys title to minerals underlying their land, what is created is referred to as sub-surface rights. This term specifically pertains to the rights related to the resources beneath the surface of the property, such as minerals and oil. The conveyance of these rights allows another party to explore, extract, and utilize the resources found beneath the land while the original owner may still retain ownership of the surface rights.

Surface rights, on the other hand, pertain to the ownership of the land itself and any structures on it, which does not apply here when the focus is on the minerals underground. Air rights refer to the space above the property and also do not relate to the minerals beneath the surface. A fee simple absolute is a type of ownership interest in land that encompasses the fullest extent of rights but is not used to describe the specific rights related to mineral resources. Thus, the correct identification of sub-surface rights highlights the legal distinction between ownership of land and the valuable resources located underneath it.