According to cantonal mining rights, the Republic and Canton of Jura (RCJU) are the owners of the Opalinus Clay, the rock around the Mont Terri rock laboratory.

swisstopo, operator of the rock laboratory, submits requests for research approval to the RCJU on behalf of the Mont Terri Consortium. The cantonal Monitoring Committee checks this request and offers the Jura government the appropriate recommendations. The senior government official at the Department for the Environment grants the operators the relevant approvals.