---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 666"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "666"
heading: "Public-availability requirement; national defense; patent agreements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/666"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Coal Research and Development"
---

# §666. Public-availability requirement; national defense; patent agreements


No [research](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-1) shall be carried out, contracted for, sponsored, cosponsored, or authorized under authority of this chapter, unless all information, uses, products, processes, patents, and other developments resulting from such [research](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-1) will (with such exceptions and limitations, if any, as the [Secretary](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-2) may find to be necessary in the interest of national defense) be available to the general public. Whenever in the estimation of the [Secretary](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-2) the purposes of this chapter would be furthered through the use of patented processes or equipment, the [Secretary](/usc/30/661.md?p=b-2) is authorized to enter into such agreements as he deems necessary for the acquisition or use of such patents on reasonable terms and conditions.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 86–599, § 4, formerly § 6, July 7, 1960, 74 Stat. 337; renumbered § 4, Pub. L. 109–58, title X, § 1009(a)(1)(D), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 934.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 4 of Pub. L. 86–599 was classified to section 664 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–58, § 1009(a)(1)(C).