---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1901"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1901"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1901"
units:
  - "Chapter 31 — Marine Mineral Resources Research"
---

# §1901. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) The term “contract” has the same meaning as “procurement contract” in [section 6303 of title 31](/usc/31/6303.md).
- (2) The term “cooperative agreement” has the same meaning as in [section 6305 of title 31](/usc/31/6305.md).
- (3) The term “eligible entity” means—
  - (A) a [research](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-1) or educational entity chartered or incorporated under Federal or State law;
  - (B) an individual who is a United States citizen; or
  - (C) a State or regional agency.
- (4) The term “grant” has the same meaning as “grant agreement” in [section 6304 of title 31](/usc/31/6304.md).
- (5) The term “in-kind contribution” means a noncash contribution provided by a non-Federal entity that directly benefits and is related to a specific project or program. An in-kind contribution may include real property, equipment, supplies, other expendable property, goods, and services.
- (6) The term “marine mineral resource” means—
  - (A) sand and aggregates;
  - (B) placers;
  - (C) phosphates;
  - (D) manganese nodules;
  - (E) cobalt crusts;
  - (F) metal sulfides;
  - (G) for purposes of this section and sections [1902](/usc/30/1902.md) through [1905](/usc/30/1905.md) of this title only, [methane hydrate](#7); and
  - (H) other marine resources that are not—
    - (i) oil and gas;
    - (ii) fisheries; or
    - (iii) marine mammals.
- (7) The term “methane hydrate” means—
  - (A) a methane clathrate that is in the form of a methane-water ice-like crystalline material and is stable and occurs naturally in deep-ocean and permafrost areas; and
  - (B) other natural gas hydrates found in association with deep-ocean and permafrost deposits of [methane hydrate](#7).
- (8) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–631, title II, § 201, as added Pub. L. 104–325, § 2(3), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3994; amended Pub. L. 106–193, § 4, May 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 236.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2000—Par. (6)(G), (H). Pub. L. 106–193, § 4(1), added subpar. (G) and redesignated former subpar. (G) as (H).

Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 106–193, § 4(2), (3), added par. (7) and redesignated former par. (7) as (8).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 104–325, § 1, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3994, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Marine Mineral Resources Research Act of 1996’.”