The procedures with respect to notice of such hearing and the conduct thereof, and in respect to appeals, shall follow the provisions of Appeals and Contests of the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management (part 1850 of this chapter) relating to contests or protests affecting public lands of the United States.

If any verified statement shall be filed by a mining claimant then the authorized officer of the proper office, or the Director, as may be appropriate, shall fix a time and place for a hearing to determine the validity and effectiveness of the mining claimant's asserted right or interest in Leasing Act minerals. Such place of hearing shall be in the county where the lands in question, or part thereof, are located, unless the mining claimant agrees otherwise.

If at any time prior to a hearing the person requesting publication of notice and any person filing a verified statement pursuant to such notice shall so stipulate, then to the extent so stipulated, but only to such extent, no hearing shall be held with respect to rights asserted under that verified statement, and to the extent defined by the stipulation the rights asserted under that verified statement shall be deemed to be unaffected by the notice published pursuant to that request.

If, pursuant to a hearing held as provided in the regulations of this part, the final decision rendered in the matter shall affirm the validity and effectiveness of any mining claimant's right or interest under a mining claim as to Leasing Act minerals, then no subsequent proceedings under section 7 of the Act and the regulations of this part shall have any force or effect upon the so-affirmed right or interest of such mining claimant under such mining claim.