From the historical and global perspective, in this paper, mineral resources ownership, main operating body of mining activity and the role of government in mining industry are analyzed as to track down evolution of mining policy and legislation. Global mining policy-making and legislation has experienced several developing stages: post-world war II germination stage, post-world war II nationalization stage during 1970′s, opening and free stage during 1980’s and 1990′s and rationalized developing stage in 21 century.