SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                               ------------------

                             FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                                April 17, 2003


                            DORCHESTER MINERALS, L.P.
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware               000-50175                81-0551518
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(State of Incorporation) (Commission File No) (IRS Employer Identification No.)



      3738 Oak Lawn, Suite 300, Dallas, Texas                       75219
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     (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)


                                 (214) 559-0300
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              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                       N/A
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          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




 
Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure  (Information  Furnished in this Item 9 is also
     furnished pursuant to Item 12).

     Registrant  is furnishing  its press  release  dated April 17, 2003,  which
announces the Registrant's initial quarterly  distribution to partners. The text
of the press release is included below.

     This  information  furnished  under  this  Item 9 is  also  intended  to be
furnished  under "Item 12.  Results of Operations  and  Financial  Condition" in
accordance with SEC Release No. 33-8216.


NEWS RELEASE                                           Dorchester Minerals, L.P.
Release Date: April 17, 2003                       3738 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 300
                                                        Dallas, Texas 75219-4379
Contact: Casey McManemin                                          (214) 559-0300
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        DORCHESTER MINERALS, L.P. ANNOUNCES ITS INITIAL CASH DISTRIBUTION

     DALLAS,   TEXAS  --  Dorchester   Minerals,   L.P.   announced   today  the
Partnership's  initial  cash  distribution  since  it  commenced  operations  on
January 31,  2003.  The  distribution  of $.206469  per common  unit  represents
activity for the two month period ending March 31, 2003 and is payable on May 8,
2003 to common unit holders of record as of April 28, 2003.

     Cash distributions  reflect cash receipts attributable to the Partnership's
Operating ORRI's and its Royalty Properties less cash disbursements attributable
to Management Expenses and Direct Expenses.  The Operating ORRI's consist of net
profits overriding royalty interests  ("ORRI's") in properties primarily located
in the  Guymon-Hugoton  Field  formerly  owned by Dorchester  Hugoton,  Ltd. The
Royalty Properties consist of mineral, royalty,  overriding royalty, net profits
and  leasehold  interests  located in 564  counties  and  parishes  in 25 states
formerly  owned by Republic  Royalty  Company  and  Spinnaker  Royalty  Company.
Management  Expenses consist of general and administrative  expenses incurred by
the  Partnership's  General Partner and reimbursed  monthly by the  Partnership.
Direct  Expenses  consist  of  third  party  costs  incurred   directly  by  the
Partnership, including legal and professional fees, costs incurred in connection
with its formation and property taxes.

     Due to  the  timing  of the  consummation  of the  combination  transaction
between Dorchester Hugoton,  Republic and Spinnaker,  the Partnership's  initial
distribution  generally  reflects  two  months of  production  from the  Royalty
Properties  and  one  month  of  production  from  the  Operating  ORRI's.   The
Partnership  received its first  Operating  ORRI  payments in March,  2003,  and
received its first payments  attributable to the Royalty Properties in February,
2003. Future quarterly  distributions are anticipated to generally reflect three
months of production from the Royalty Properties and the Operating ORRI's.

     Cash  receipts  attributable  to the Operating  ORRI's  during March,  2003
totaled  $2,014,286.  These  receipts  generally  reflect  gas  sales  from  the
underlying  properties during January,  2003. The average gas price received for
such sales was $5.20/mcf.  Cash receipts  attributable to the Royalty Properties
during February and March,  2003 totaled  $4,213,399.  These receipts  generally
reflect oil sales during January and February and gas sales during  December and
January.  The weighted  average oil and gas prices  received for such sales were
$30.92/bbl and $4.35/mcf, respectively.


DORCHESTER MINERALS, L.P. ANNOUNCES ITS INITIAL CASH DISTRIBUTION
Page 2 of 2

     The  Partnership  received  $125,142 in lease bonus and other income during
February and March,  2003.  During the three month period ending March 31, 2003,
the  Partnership   received  division  orders   attributable  to,  or  otherwise
identified,  49 new wells completed on Royalty Properties located in 18 counties
and parishes in five states.

     Dorchester  Minerals,  L.P.  is a  Dallas  based  owner  of  producing  and
non-producing  oil and natural gas mineral,  royalty,  overriding  royalty,  net
profits,  and  leasehold  interests.  Its common units trade on the Nasdaq Stock
Market under the symbol DMLP.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     Portions of this document may  constitute  "forward-looking  statements" as
defined  by  federal  law.  Such   statements  are  subject  to  certain  risks,
uncertainties   and   assumptions.   Should  one  or  more  of  these  risks  or
uncertainties  materialize,  or should  underlying  assumptions prove incorrect,
actual  results  may  vary  materially  from  those  anticipated,  estimated  or
projected.  Examples of such uncertainties and risk factors include, but are not
limited to,  changes in the price or demand for oil and natural gas,  changes in
the  operations on or development of the  Partnership's  properties,  changes in
economic  and  industry  conditions  and  changes  in  regulatory   requirements
(including   changes  in  environmental   requirements)  and  the  Partnership's
financial position,  business strategy and other plans and objectives for future
operations.  These and other factors are set forth in the Partnership's  filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



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                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                       DORCHESTER MINERALS, L.P.
                                       Registrant

                                    by Dorchester Minerals Management LP
                                       its General Partner,
                                    by Dorchester Minerals Management GP LLC
                                       its General Partner



Date: April 17, 2003                   /s/ William Casey McManemin
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                                       William Casey McManemin
                                       Chief Executive Officer