(1) When used herein, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

(a) "Board" means the board of land commissioners of the state of Montana;

(b) "Commercial quantities" means that quantity of coal which can be sold at profit in the commercial market;

(c) "Coal" means and includes black or brownish-black solid fossil fuel which has been subjected to the natural process of coalification and which falls within the classification of coal by rank: I, anthracite; II, bituminous; III, sub-bituminous; IV, lignite;

(d) "Department" means department of natural resources and conservation;

(e) "Director" means director of the department of natural resources and conservation, chief administrative officer of the department;

(f) "Foreign interests" means states of governmental subdivisions of states foreign to the United States, other than Canada or Mexico; business entities organized under the laws of any state foreign to the United States, other than Canada or Mexico; and persons who are citizens of any state foreign to the United States, other than Canada or Mexico;

(g) "Lessee" means the person in whose name and coal lease appears of record in the offices of the department, whether such person be the original lessee or a subsequent assignee. The term "lessee" also includes, where the context of the rule may indicate, any person who is the apparent successful bidder for a coal lease but with whom a formal coal lease agreement has not been completed and finalized;

(h) "Person" means any individual, firm, association or corporation or other legal entity;

(i) "Qualified applicant" means any person who may become a qualified lessee as set forth herein;

(j) "State" means the state of Montana;

(k) "State lands" means all lands the leasing of which for coal purposes is under the jurisdiction of the board;

(l) "Value" means the contract sales price as defined in 15-35-102 MCA.