Indian Mineral Leasing Act

The Indian Mineral Leasing Act (IMLA) was a 1938 United States law. It was passed May 11, 1938 by the 75th United States Congress.

The Act made it so that after May 11, 1938, unallotted lands within Indian reservations or lands owned by Native Americans under Federal jurisdiction could, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, be leased for mining purposes by the authority of the tribal council or other authorized spokesmen for the Native Americans, for no longer than 10 years.