Opinion ID: 1282309
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 1970 Lease to Plaintiff Professional United Development

Text: The plaintiff Professional United Development (United Development) obtained a mineral lease from the Utah Division of State Lands (the State) on February 16, 1970. This mineral lease allegedly covered building stone and limestone and was for a primary term of ten years ... and so long as said minerals may be produced in commercial quantities from said land. United Development did not conduct mining operations on the property during the primary term of the lease, but Portland extracted and removed substantial quantities of limestone from this property without the consent of United Development. Portland apparently did so pursuant to federal mining claims which were subsequently declared invalid in a federal court action. Both United Development and its president and director Benton sought to recover the value of the limestone removed by Portland, which United Development claims to be in excess of $6,000,000. The primary term of the lease expired December 31, 1980, and approximately 80% of the mineral remained in the ground at the end of that term. United Development is now in the process of winding up its affairs.