Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the boards of supervisors of each county and the mayors and boards of aldermen, or mayors and councilmen, as the case may be, of each municipal corporation are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to lease in the name of the county or municipal corporation any or all lands or minerals owned by the county or by the municipality for oil, gas and mineral exploration and development, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration as the boards of supervisors or the mayors and the boards of aldermen or the mayors and councilmen, in their discretion, shall deem proper and advisable.