PRC §6801: A lease or prospecting permit under this chapter shall be issued only to and held by: (a) Persons or associations of persons who are citizens of the United States or who have declared their intention

A lease or prospecting permit under this chapter shall be issued only to and held by: (a) Persons or associations of persons who are citizens of the United States or who have declared their intention of becoming such, or who are citizens of any country, dependency, colony, or province, the laws, customs, and regulations of which permit the grant of similar or like privileges to citizens of the United States. (b) Any corporation or corporations organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the United States or of any state or territory thereof; or any corporation or corporations 90 percent or more of the shares of which are owned by persons eligible to hold a lease or permit under subdivision (a) or (c) of this section; or any corporation or corporations 90 percent or more of the shares of which are owned either by a corporation eligible to hold a lease or permit hereunder, or by any combination of such eligible persons or corporations, or both. (c) Any person who is not a citizen or national of the United States entitled thereto by virtue of any treaty between the United States and the nation or country of which that person is a citizen or subject. (d) In every case of joint bidding, the names of all persons, firms, or corporations interested in a particular joint bid shall be specified.