I am looking to purchase a 12.9 acre farm property in WV. However, I just found out that with my purchase, I get only 1/3rd of the mineral rights, as the other 2/3rd have been divided into too may heirs from the past 100 years. My agent tells me that it is unlikely that there will ever be a claim or a problem about this, but I would like to have a better understanding about this issue. Would my being owner of 1/3rd rights give me sufficient footing to stop unwanted companies for accessing my property for mining? Can other conflicts of interest arise with the other owners of the mineral rights (The seller has no idea how many and who they are and she says that nobody has claimed them in the last 50 years)
How safe is it for me to purchase this property without fearing that a mining unit will be sitting in the middle of my yard next month? Any advice would be helpful in my making the final purchase decision.

