Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH STEPHEN P
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NATURAL RESOURCE PARTNERS LP [NRP] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
200 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, 14TH FLOOR		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/11/2010
(Street)

COLUMBUS, OH 43215		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Units (1) 02/13/2010   M   3,000 A (1) (2) 6,551.5664 D  
Common Units (1) 02/13/2010   D   3,000 D (1) $ 24.06 (2) 3,551.5664 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Units (3) (2) 02/13/2010   M     3,000 02/13/2010 02/13/2010 Common Units 3,000 (2) 0 D  
Phantom Units (3) (4)             02/13/2011 02/13/2011 Common Units 3,000   3,000 D  
Phantom Units (3) (4) (5)             02/28/2012 02/28/2012 Common Units 3,000   3,000 D  
Phantom Units (3) (4) (5)             02/26/2013 02/26/2013 Common Units 3,000   3,000 D  
Phantom Units (3) (4) (5) 02/11/2010   A   3,000   02/11/2014 02/11/2014 Common Units 3,000 (4) (5) 3,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH STEPHEN P
200 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE
14TH FLOOR
COLUMBUS, OH 43215		   X      

Signatures

 Stephen P. Smith   02/16/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The common units were deemed to have been purchased and sold on the date of vesting of the phantom units listed in Table II.
(2) Upon vesting, the phantom units were paid in cash on a one-for-one basis based on the average closing price of the common units for the 20 trading days immediately preceding the date of vesting.
(3) The phantom units were granted to the reporting person under the issuer?s long-term incentive plan.
(4) The phantom units will be paid in cash based on the average closing price of the common units for the 20 trading days immediately prior to the date of vesting.
(5) Award includes tandem distribution equivalent rights pursuant to which the quarterly distributions paid by the partnership on each unit will be accrued over the vesting period and paid on vesting.

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