Mo. Rev. Stat. § 444.130
The court may, upon such application, hear testimony upon all the matters involved in such application, including testimony upon the solvency and responsibility of the sureties offered, and may hear testimony from any parties interested in the lots and lands in the neighborhood of such proposed mining operations, and if the court is satisfied that the proposers own the land or mining privileges under the land described in their petition, the court shall fix the amount of the bond to be given by such proposers, such bond to be in no case for less than one thousand dollars; and upon the giving and approval of such bond so fixed by the court, the court shall enter its order authorizing the mining operations specified in said petition, and upon the localities therein named, and not elsewhere, for the space of two years, unless in the meanwhile revoked.
§ 444.130, RSMo
RSMo 1939 § 14797