9.—Mineral sections, or other sections for which there may be several competitors, may at any time be put up to Auction.

Nothing contained in the foregoing Regulations shall be construed to prevent the Government from offering any Mineral section for sale by Auction, if it should be found to possess peculiar value, or any Rural section, if from the amount of population in the vicinity thereof, there may be several competitors who may appear to have equal claims to it.