(765 ILCS 515/9) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 9209)
Sec. 9.
(a) Regardless of whether there has been production of the
severed mineral interest, if the owners of the severed mineral interests which
are the subject of a trustee's lease executed and delivered in accordance
with this Act remain unknown or missing for a period of 7 years from the
date of entry of the initial judgment authorizing a lease, the trustee shall
file a motion with the court on or before the eighth anniversary of the
date of the lease naming the then present surface owners as additional parties
defendant and requesting the surface owners to appear and present proof
to the satisfaction of the court that they are vested with fee simple title
to the surface estate. Upon a finding by the court that the surface estate
is vested in fee simple in the surface owners, the court shall order the
trustee to convey to the surface owners by recordable instrument the unknown
or missing owners' interest in the severed mineral interests, which conveyance
shall be approved by endorsement by the court on the face thereof.
(b) The trustee shall pay to the surface owner the remaining balance in
the depository which has accrued to the credit of such severed mineral
interests
to the date of his final report after payment of all allowable fees, taxes,
expenses and court costs including a fee to be paid to the trustee in an
amount determined by the court.
(c) From and after the date of the conveyance from the trustee to the
surface owners executed and delivered in accordance with subsection (a) of this
Section the surface owners shall be entitled to receive all proceeds from
the lease of such severed mineral interests.
(d) Upon the delivery of the conveyance directed in subsection (a) of
this Section, and after the payment as directed in subsection (b) of this
Section the trustee shall make his final report to the court, and upon
approval thereof, the court shall order the trust terminated and the trustee
and his bond discharged.
(Source: P.A. 83-571.)
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