Notwithstanding anything in Part XII of this Act all mines and minerals of any description whatsoever under any highway vested in a highway authority by virtue of any provision contained in the said Part XII belong to the person who would be entitled thereto if the highway were not vested in the authority, and the person entitled to any such mine or minerals has the same powers of working and of getting the same as if the highway were not vested in a highway authority.
Nothing in this section affects any liability (whether civil or criminal) of the person entitled to any such mine or minerals in respect of damage to the highway resulting from the exercise of the said powers.