(a) In cases where the lands have heretofore been leased, and lead and zinc ores have been discovered hereon, and it shall appear to the Secretary of the Interior to be advisable and to the best interests of the Indian owners of the lands that the terms of the existing lease or leases be extended or that a new lease or leases for an additional period of time, or that a new lease or leases to take effect upon the expiration of present valid leases, should, upon application therefor, be granted to either the present lessees or to parties holding under assignments, subleases, or mining contracts, from such present lessees, or to parties who have expended capital in lead and zinc mining operation and development of the land under such leases, assignments, subleases, or mining contracts, a new lease or leases or contract of extension or existing lease or leases as may be authorized by the Secretary of the Interior may be entered into with the proper party or parties as may be determined by said Secretary of the Interior, and such new lease or leases or contract of extension of existing lease or leases shall be executed subject to the regulations in this part by and between the Indian owner of the land, if an adult and not incompetent as defined in §215.0 (c), and said proper party or parties. If the Quapaw or other Indian owner of the land is a minor or an otherwise incompetent as defined in §215.0 (c), the superintendent shall execute the new lease or leases or contract of extension of existing lease or leases for and on behalf of said Indian minor or incompetent. Said new leases or contracts of extension of old leases, whether executed by the Indian owner of the land or by the superintendent for and in his behalf, shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior and shall become effective only upon such approval. No offering for sale at public auction or advertisement of sale will be necessary in reference to contracts of extension of leases, or to leases entered into under this section, as above provided, but such lease or contract shall be upon such terms as to bonus and royalty as may be determined and fixed in each case by the Secretary of the Interior under the provisions of §215.5. The approval by the Secretary of the Interior of new leases or of the contracts of extension of old leases shall be conclusive as to the validity of said leases, or contracts of extension of leases, the manner and method of negotiating the same, and the execution thereof. If, however, in any case where lands have heretofore been leased and lead and zinc ores have been discovered thereon, it shall appear to the Secretary of the Interior that the extension of the existing lease or leases or the granting of new leases to the present lessees, or to the persons or parties holding under said lessees by assignment, sublease, or mining contract, would not be to the best interests of the Indian owners of the land, the Secretary of the Interior may, at the expiration, cancellation, or forfeiture of the existing lease, cause the mining lease rights on said land to be offered for sale at public auction to the highest bidder. If the lead and zinc mining lease on said land be offered for sale at public auction, the same procedure shall be followed as provided in §§215.7 through 215.9.

(b) Applications under the provision of this section for a lease or extension of lease or for the approval of such lease or extension of lease will not be received or considered prior to the period of 1 year next preceding the date of the expiration of such valid existing lease or leases as may be on the land covered by such application.

(c) Applications under the provisions of this section for a lease or extension of lease or for the approval of such lease or extension of lease shall be filed with the superintendent of the Quapaw Agency at any time within the period of 1 year next preceding the date of the expiration of such valid existing lease or leases as may be on the land covered by such application, and if the records of or papers in the office of said superintendent or the records of the county court of Ottawa County, Okla., indicate that there are any prior existing leases, subleases, assignments of leases or mining contracts covering any of the land applied for, the superintendent shall notify all persons having or claiming any rights or interest in or under said prior existing leases, subleases, assignments of leases, or mining contract concerning said application for lease or extension of lease, and that they will be allowed 10 days in which to file with the superintendent any objection they may have to the allowance of the application or to the approval of the new lease or extension of existing lease. If objection or protest is made by any owner of the land or by any person claiming rights or interests in or under existing lease, sublease, assignment of lease, or mining contract, a reasonable time, not exceeding 20 days, shall be allowed them in which to file their statement or brief in support of their protest or objection, and a reasonable further time not exceeding 10 days shall be allowed the applicant for new lease or for extension of existing lease to reply in support of the application. In case of contest, hearings may be had if deemed necessary by the Secretary of the Interior or his representative. The application and papers in each case shall be forwarded by the superintendent of the Quapaw Indian Agency to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs with his report and recommendation in regard thereto.