Moore v. State, Department of Natural Resources

OPINION

CARPENETI, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

Pacific Rainier, Inc. (PRI) located and recorded mining claims on state-selected federal land. At the time, the federal government had not conveyed the land. Upon determining that PRI was not qualified to do business in Alaska, and thus not allowed to acquire mining rights in this state, the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources voided PRI’s claims. The superior court upheld the commissioner’s decision. The presi dent of PRI, Monty D. Moore, appealed to this court, arguing that a locator on stateT selected federal lands does not acquire…