A person who, at the instance of the owner, performs work or labor on, in, or about a mill or machine, either in the alteration or repair of it, or in the operation or working of it, while the mill or machine is used in or about a mine, or mining claim, oil, gas, or other claim or well, as a means of opening up, developing, or mining, or as a means of separating, extracting, or reducing minerals to commercial value, has a lien on the mill or machine, to secure the payment of the amount due for the work.
