U.S. Patented Land Claims typically include both surface and subsurface rights, granting the owner full control over the entire property. However, it is possible for these rights to be severed, meaning that the surface rights and subsurface mineral rights can be owned separately. This process involves legally separating the ownership of the surface land from the mineral rights beneath it.

Once severed, the subsurface mineral rights can be sold, leased, or retained independently of the surface rights. This allows different parties to own and manage these distinct interests separately. Severing rights is a legal process that must comply with state and federal laws, and it often involves formal agreements and registrations to clearly define the split in ownership.

Severing the subsurface rights from the surface rights can be particularly advantageous for several reasons. For one, it allows the owner to retain the valuable subsurface mineral rights while potentially selling or leasing the surface land. More importantly, from a financial perspective, separating these rights can significantly impact the financial obligations associated with the property. In the context of U.S. Patented Land Claims, the only financial obligation typically tied to unified ownership is property taxes, which, though often minimal, still represent a recurring cost.

For tokenization purposes in the NatGold ecosystem, where no ongoing fees are acceptable to avoid devaluation of the NatGold coins from their 100% certified gold resource backing, it is imperative for owners to sever the subsurface rights containing the certified gold resources. By doing so, they effectively separate these rights from the surface rights, thus severing the title from any ongoing property taxes. This separation ensures that the subsurface rights, now free from the burden of property taxes, remain a pure asset backed solely by the certified resources they contain, ideal for use within the NatGold framework.

Certification standards play a pivotal role in the NatGold ecosystem, with only titles containing certified gold resources under the National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects being eligible. Established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM), NI 43-101 certified gold resource reports are the benchmark in global gold mining and finance and the most widely accepted reporting standard by all major world stock exchanges.

The meticulousness of NI 43-101 in auditing and validating the existence of gold resources ensures unparalleled reliability, making it the most trusted metric for mining financiers worldwide. This level of certainty and quality is crucial for NatGold legislation, ensuring that only the most accurately quantified and scientifically backed gold resources are tokenized, maintaining the highest standards of integrity and trust in the NatGold ecosystem.

The NatGold Public Accountability Vault, operated by OroEx Corp., is an innovative transparency initiative within the NatGold ecosystem. Designed as a fully visible and inspectable online resource, this public vault houses all key due diligence documents supporting the NatGold tokenization process. It serves as a cornerstone for accountability and public trust in the NatGold coin system. The vault includes digital copies of critical documents such as the mining title registered in the name of the NatGold Integrity Trust, NI 43-101 Technical Reports, and other important due diligence materials. These documents are made publicly available to ensure that any interested parties can inspect and verify the accuracy and authenticity of the information provided during the tokenization process.

Key features of the Public Vault include real-time data on the total number of NatGold coins minted, distribution statistics, and the verification that all minted coins are 100% backed by NI 43-101 certified gold resources. Utilizing the NatGold Bilateral Bridge between the NatGold Digital Vault and the NatGold Multichain, the vault updates an ecosystem audit every 24 hours. This audit verifies that the total amounts of NatGold coins in circulation on the NatGold MultiChain are equivalent to the amount historically distributed from the NatGold Digital Vault, enhancing security and trust in the system.

The primary goal of the NatGold Public Accountability Vault is to foster unparalleled transparency and trust across all aspects of the tokenization and distribution processes. By providing open access to critical documentation and real-time data, the system ensures that stakeholders can continually verify the integrity and backing of the NatGold coins. This open vault allows for ongoing public oversight, inviting users, investors, and regulators to engage directly with the operational and financial details of the NatGold ecosystem. It empowers them to conduct independent verifications, promoting an inclusive and transparent digital asset environment.

U.S. Patented Land Claims are a unique type of property right established under the General Mining Act of 1872, designed to promote the exploration and extraction of mineral resources on public lands. These claims grant full ownership of both surface and subsurface rights to the claimant, allowing for comprehensive control over the mining and management of mineral resources. Originally issued by the General Land Office—now known as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—these claims provided a mechanism for individuals and companies to secure land for mining, playing a pivotal role in the development of the American West.

As privately held assets, U.S. Patented Land Claims include both the surface and subsurface mineral rights, distinguishing them from public lands where mining rights are typically leased or licensed. This ownership model facilitates complete autonomy in the exploration, development, and extraction processes, making these claims particularly valuable for the tokenization of physical gold resources into digital NatGold coins. Although the issuance of new mineral patents was significantly curtailed by a moratorium enacted in 1994, existing claims that met all the requirements before this enactment are still in effect, offering a vital pathway for the digital mining of gold through tokenization in the evolving landscape of the NatGold industry.

NI 43-101 Technical Reports are automatically accepted by the SEC under Regulation S-K 1300 due to their strict adherence to the regulation’s rigorous standards, which prioritize detailed, transparent, and reliable disclosures of mineral resources and reserves. These reports are developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators and set a high standard for the public disclosure of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. This includes stringent requirements for the qualifications and responsibilities of “Qualified Persons” who verify the reports, ensuring that the disclosed information is both accurate and verifiable.

In contrast, reports from other standards like JORC (Australia) or SAMREC (South Africa) might require additional reconciliation to align with S-K 1300. While these standards are internationally aligned to the CRIRSCO templates, which share common core definitions and guidelines with S-K 1300, they often have slight variations in definitions and reporting criteria. These differences mean that technical reports from these and other non-Canadian jurisdictions may need to demonstrate their compliance with S-K 1300’s specific requirements through detailed reconciliation, making them not automatically acceptable like NI 43-101 reports.