论探矿权和采矿权的性质

On the Nature of Prospecting Right and Mining Right

探矿权和采矿权的性质及其法律关系多有不合逻辑之处,原因在于现有法律将行政关系夹杂在民事关系之中。实际上,探矿权和采矿权是纯粹的民事财产权,依据其自身的特点,两者性质截然不同,前者是用益物权,后者是自物权,根本无法将它们纳入统一的"矿业权"概念之下。碍于现有的国家所有权制度,《物权法》将采矿权亦归入用益物权,但是并不能对其进行合理定位。理顺采矿权涉及的法律关系,必须承认采矿权的自物权性质,允许矿产资源国家所有权转让。虽然这会引发损害公有制的担忧,但这其实是多虑的。因为矿产资源具有消耗性,矿产资源所有权由其他主体掌握的状态并不会长时间存续。

The nature of prospecting right and mining right has become a controversial issue both theoretically and practically.Actually,both of them are pure civil rights.Based on their characteristics,we may conclude that the former is usufruct,while the latter is proprietary.But the Property Law stipulates that the mining right is usufruct for the state ownership and thus cannot be transferred to other legal subjects.In order to clarify the legal relations,the ownership of mineral resources must be allowed to be transferred.There may be concerns that it will do harm to the socialist public ownership,which actually is unnecessary,because the ownership of mineral resources will expire as soon as the resources are consumed.