Which states recognize that landowners own the minerals underlying their property?

The correct choice highlights that Texas, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Mississippi are states that recognize landowners' rights to own the minerals beneath their property. This principle is rooted in the doctrine of "landowner rights," which assert that the surface rights granted by ownership extend to the subsurface, including mineral rights unless specified otherwise.

In Texas, for example, the "rule of capture" allows landowners to extract minerals from beneath their land without liability to adjacent landowners, promoting a strong framework for mineral ownership. New Mexico similarly recognizes mineral rights as part of land ownership, governed by specific statutes and regulations concerning extraction and lease agreements.

West Virginia and Mississippi also maintain laws that support the rights of landowners to mineral ownership, emphasizing the importance of mineral rights in these states' property law frameworks. Understanding this principle is crucial for lease and title analysts as they navigate mineral rights, property transactions, and potential leases.

The other states in the choices provided either have different legal frameworks regarding mineral rights or specific restrictions that complicate the ownership model presented in the correct option. These nuances highlight the significance of knowing the rules that govern mineral ownership in various jurisdictions as part of professional practice in lease and title analysis.