ART. 458. All persons, either natives or foreigners, who shall discover a deposit, lode, or vein of any metal, or of some other kinds containing one of these substances, or any precious stones to which paragraph 1 of article 440 refers, shall be entitled to the concession thereof.

ART. 459. The fact of finding metallic substances, is considered as "discovery" although the mine or the locality containing them shows indications that one or several attempts have already been made to prospect them, provided, however, that none of these attempts has been the subject of a prior grant.

ART. 461. Any person who shall discover mines in lands where there are none within a radius of five kilometers shall have a right of possession to three parts of the property, whether continuous or not, of the principal vein, and one part of each of the other veins included in his discovery. Any person who shall discover a vein within a radius of five kilometers of a mine for which a concession has already been granted, shall have a right of possession to two parts of the property, continuous or not, of said vein.

ART. 462. All persons who shall work old, abandoned mines and who may acquire such titles of property as set forth in paragraph 1 of the preceding article shall be considered as "discoverers.'

ART. 465. The extent of a mining location consists of a body with a rectangular base, having an indefinite vertical depth 1,300 feet long in a straight line in the direction of the vein and 650 feet wide.

ART. 466. The length shall be measured by following the direction of the vein, starting from the cropping point indicated by the miner, provided that the work referred to in article 503 has ceased in the interior of that portion of the property.

ART. 467. The width shall be measured according to a horizontal perpendicular in the direction of the vein.

ART. 469. In auriferous sands and other productions mentioned in article 443, the portion of the property shall comprise 10,000 square meters, and may be in the shape either of a parallelogram or a square, either in a series or a number of squares fitting together in the form asked by the miner, but without leaving any intervals or intermediary space.

ART. 489. As soon as a discovery is made, the discoverer can apply for a patent of property to prospect the vein for ninety days, in the direction indicated by him, in prolongation of the one pointed out on that section of the property.

ART. 494. All applications having for object the declaration of the concession of mines containing metals or precious stones must be made to the political division of the department wherein said mine is located or to the secretary of finance.

ART. 518. Any miner wanting to prospect his claim by means of galleries, shafts, or other excavations may execute these works without asking any previous permit, within or outside of the boundary of his portion of the property, provided it is located upon lands not containing any other mines.

ART. 558. Mines shall be worked and put in operation scientifically, according to the provisions made to insure safety and in conformity with the police regulations relating to the same.