Claims

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
All claims are accessible. The key question is, Are you welcome to access a claim? Unless you are a member of a local mining club or you know someone firsthand and they have granted you access to their claim otherwise your locked out to the use of any claims. Find a local club and join then you have access.

Try this link, Gold mining & prospecting clubs and organizations.
 

Oakview2

Silver Member
Feb 4, 2012
2,807
3,348
Prather CA
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Whites GMT
Primary Interest:
Other
Friant as free access at the broken bridge, Merced river, Bricerburg, Bagby, I would look in the southern motherload Are you looking for a placer claim, hard rock??
 

dredgeman

Sr. Member
Feb 14, 2013
340
249
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yes there are areas around Fresno with gold.

The easiest access is the CV Propspectors club. free to join and they have claims in mariposa, Oakhurst and the desert.

Otherwise file your own claim. Right now the San Joaquin from below kerkhoff to the upper end of chiquito creek is already claimed by various people.
The Fresno is mostly private land, chowchilla has some spots . Kings river is super powder and not worth the time. Kern has gold but most all of the open areas are under claim.
 

DizzyDigger

Gold Member
Dec 9, 2012
5,835
11,578
Concrete, WA
Detector(s) used
Nokta FoRs Gold, a Gold Cube, 2 Keene Sluices and Lord only knows how many pans....not to mention a load of other gear my wife still doesn't know about!
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thing is I don't know how to file for a claim, and I am apart the Central Valley Prospectors Club

Ahhh...time to start doing some homework...:icon_thumleft:

Good place to start would be locating a piece of ground you
wish to claim, and then doing the research on that particular
piece of ground to see if it's even available to be claimed.

Not sure your level of experience, but as mentioned a great
way to go is with a local club. If you don't like the claims that
your current club offers, then look for another club that has
better ground. I've no idea the cost of filing a claim in CA.,
but the red tape, etc. sure wouldn't be worth the headache
unless it's one hot piece of dirt.

twocents-1.gif~original
 

Truffles_EOD

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
143
52
Sarajevo
Detector(s) used
Started with Garrett AT/Gold, 2 x Scuba Tectors for shallow water while swimming along the beaches, now have Equinox 800 and starting to find decent items!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am also interested in purchasing a claim, which you can do through certain online sites, however as a non US Citizen and foreigner to the US (I'm British) what would the implications etc; be. Does anyone know all the ins and outs of purchasing a claim and then working it especially from a foreigners angle?
 

omnicron

Bronze Member
Jun 14, 2012
1,017
409
Caldwell, Idaho
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I have seen claims go from $1500 to $1,000,000+

A simple search of "gold claims in California" or "placer claims for sale California" or similar searches turns up many many pages...just like learning to gold pan or run a sluice, search engines will be one of your most important tools you can use as a prospector.
AGE, Placer Mining Claims For Sale

Before you buy any claim, you need to research the claim, owner, status, markers...almost every facet of the claim to make sure it's legit. People file claims over the top of claims all the time then sell them for 1000's of dollars and they end up being worthless. Or they sell something they down own and your out the money. After you verify the claim, get boots on the ground and test test test. If it's a valid claim there's usually a reason it's being sold...no gold...mined out...no water...values to deep to reach with hand tools....ect

A fool and his money are soon parted is you jump into anything without verifying.
 

Truffles_EOD

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
143
52
Sarajevo
Detector(s) used
Started with Garrett AT/Gold, 2 x Scuba Tectors for shallow water while swimming along the beaches, now have Equinox 800 and starting to find decent items!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks Omnicron, I did actually ask the seller of one in California who said there are lots of foreigners who own claims... it appears from the article you linked to that this isn't the case as we'd need to be US Citizens.
 

omnicron

Bronze Member
Jun 14, 2012
1,017
409
Caldwell, Idaho
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks Omnicron, I did actually ask the seller of one in California who said there are lots of foreigners who own claims... it appears from the article you linked to that this isn't the case as we'd need to be US Citizens.

I think your missing the pertinent information: or has declared an intention to become a citizen with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Basiclly if you are here on a K1, K3, IR3 type visa aka marriage based visa, you can own a claim. If you are here working and have the IRS credits you can apply for a immigration type of visa based on having enough work credits for residency. There is all kinds of way for Brits to move here, that's because your country is a close ally to the US.
 

Clay Diggins

Silver Member
Nov 14, 2010
4,885
14,258
The Great Southwest
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks Omnicron, I did actually ask the seller of one in California who said there are lots of foreigners who own claims... it appears from the article you linked to that this isn't the case as we'd need to be US Citizens.

I strongly suggest people do not buy claims if they don't already have the experience of discovering a valuable mineral deposit, recording and staking that location and working their claim at a profit. Anything less and you couldn't possibly have the knowledge to judge the value of a claim for sale.

The law is clear that only US citizens (or those who have stated their intention to become one) can own claims. You can form a domestic corporation in one of our States and use that as a lawful way to own a claim.

There are many claims for sale that are invalid. There are many claims for sale that do not have any gold. There are many claims sellers who prey on the uninformed. It is a whole industry in our western goldfields. I know of several claims sellers who salt their claims and mislead the buyers into believing they are buying private property and can build homes and live on the claim. The world of claims selling is full of criminals and misinformation. We see this everyday in our work.

Many claims sellers will tell you whatever you want to hear to make the sale. The above seller is an example. The link offered earlier is incorrect also when they state that a single person can own a claim larger than 20 acres if they buy it from another person. That is a very misleading statement.

There is no enforcement authority to back you up if you are lied to or cheated when you buy a claim. There are no claims police and no authority checks claims to make sure they are valid. Anybody can make a bogus claim and sell it to the first gullible person who happens by. Under US and State laws it is up to the individual to do their own due diligence when locating or purchasing a claim.

Ask yourself - why would anyone sell a paying claim for less than the value of the gold they can mine from it? It's very inexpensive to keep a valid mineral claim so what is the incentive for the seller?

There are real producing claims for sale at times but without a very good knowledge of the business of gold claiming and mining there is no way to tell the authentic from the scam.

There are huge areas of paying ground still open to prospecting and claim in the United States. Plan on prospecting those areas and discovering a valuable mineral deposit. In the process you will learn the ropes and come to value and respect the work and knowledge involved in making a valid claim. Then you can think about buying a claim, I'll bet you won't though.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
My good friend Don Finley, here in Colorado, often tests placer claims that are up for sale on behalf of out of state buyers. I've gone with him a number of times to help in the field. The last dozen gold claims he has tested have ALL had very low or no gold with the exception of one decent bench deposit which was up a steep hillside and therefore difficult to process in sufficient volumes to justify the price. NONE of these claims were properly posted and monumented on the ground.

Buyer beware!
 

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