My first claim and how I obtained it

[QNCrazy]

Yesterday I competed the paperwork for my first claim. I want to share how I found the claim and some pictures. I began by doing a search with LR2000 looking for closed claims in a specific section. Directions for using LR2000 in a thread somewhere on this forum and on the BLM website. The search result were numerous dating back several years. I checked each claim beginning with the most recent and I happened to come across one that hadn't been reclaimed yet. Next I checked with BLM who told me it was still available. The Saturday after Christmas I put boots on the ground looking for location notices around the areaI intended to claim as well as surrounding areas. When I didn't find any I began prospecting. There are two feeder creeks on the claim so I began with each of them running a half bucket from each classified to 1/2". Found gold in both. I did he same for the main creek and found more. To finish the day, I constructed my monument per BLM specifications and placed a copy of my signed location notice inside. The following Tuesday I took my original copy to the county recorder. $20. Yesterday I went to BLM. And finished the paperwork. $212. Here are some pics.


I hope this helps those who are trying to get a claim.

 

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[Maitland]

Good and helpful information to anyone who is looking to stake their own claim. Although I've never staked one myself, I do plan on doing so in the future. I know a handful of guys who would be probably slap $5k down on the table for a placer claim sight-unseen, but yet won't take the time to understand how the claiming process works and save themselves $4,790. I don't think it seems as difficult as some people make it out to be, like everything else, it has it's own technicalities and if you're willing to take the time to understand them then it's really not as bad as you may have initially thought. The most difficult problem I've had is finding a piece of open ground with a source of water, preferably a stream big enough to run my sluice. Reading historical reports can help guide you in the right direction of what areas might actually have paying quantities of gold.

 

[Hoser John]

YAHOO a new HONEST claim holder is always welcome into the tribe-kudos and tons a au 2 u 2-John

 

[Clay Diggins]

Did you look for ACTIVE claims in the LR2000? Did you look for recent Location recordings at the County Recorder's office? The BLM can't tell you whether an area is claimed or not. The BLM is not in charge of claims they just keep an informational case file on ACTIVE claims.

Closed claims don't mean much. It's ACTIVE claims that you have to avoid. New ACTIVE claims at the BLM don't show up for 3 - 12 months at the LR2000. The County Recorder will have a Location Recording within 90 days.

I hope your claim is valid. There is just no way to tell if it is with the method you used to determine the land status.

It looks like it might be a good location.

Heavy Pans

 

[QNCrazy]

Did you look for ACTIVE claims in the LR2000? Did you look for recent Location recordings at the County Recorder's office? The BLM can't tell you whether an area is claimed or not. The BLM is not in charge of claims they just keep an informational case file on ACTIVE claims.

Closed claims don't mean much. It's ACTIVE claims that you have to avoid. New ACTIVE claims at the BLM don't show up for 3 - 12 months at the LR2000. The County Recorder will have a Location Recording within 90 days.

I hope your claim is valid. There is just no way to tell if it is with the method you used to determine the land status.

It looks like it might be a good location.

Heavy Pans

I guess I left out a couple of things. I did research active claims as well, and before I recorded the claim with the county, I checked their records. This area was free and clear. I really need to put the credit out to you Clay, John, and several others for the informaiton they provide on this forum. Without their suggestions and information on other threads, I could have very well misfiled on top of someone elses claim. You absolutely have to do your research first. Research(computer, County, and BLM records), boots on ground(looking for location notices and prospecting), filing(County and BLM). As several have helped me by providing the information on the forum, I, without hesitation, am returning the gesture to all.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Sounds like you have it all covered QNCrazy. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Heavy Pans

 

[goldenIrishman]

Congrats on your first claim! Sounds like you were very methodical in how you went about it which is good. It's always a shame to hear of someone not following the proper procedure and loosing out on time and money as well as a good claim.

As Clay and others have said here many times, due diligence is very important in locating and filing for a claim. Everyone has to remember to learn the procedures required for THEIR state as different states have different rules. Thanks to Clay and a few others, learning the requirements for filing here in Arizona has been a snap. With their help, and putting in a lot of research time, I've got leads on several very promising open areas near Kingman to check out as soon as I get moved up there. A couple of trips to the county recorders office and I'll be ready to get boots on the ground to do testing. If my research turns out to be good, I'll erect my monument of discovery, mark the corners, and start to get the paperwork done. When I go out to do the monument(s) and corners, I'll make sure that I've got someone else with me as a witness and will be taking plenty of pictures to back my claim up.

 

[meMiner]

Great wealth of information shared here. I acquire my claims in BC, Canada so it is not applicable but soooo interesting to see how it works somewhere else.

 

[Army of 1]

Good luck with your claim , hope it pays big time , keep us updated with the progress..cheers Mick

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Good Luck and thank you for all the helpful information.

 

[theseeker]

Thanks for the great information. Good luck with your claim QNCrazy.

 

[rodoconnor]

QNCrazy, it looks like you claimed a city park. Beautiful spot, and Au to boot . G/L

 

[Peyton Manning]

where do you plan to place the beerfridge?

 

[QNCrazy]

Thanks everyone. Heading out early in the morning for a day of work. Wait a minute, is it work if you love what you are doing? The claim was originally established in 1980. The original monument is still there. Four people started the claim, two with a lode claim and two with a placer claim. In the early 90's, two of the claimants bailed out, the lode claim was abandoned and the whole area was claimed as a placer claim by the claimants who had the lode claim. Fortunately for me, the claimant is still local. I have sent them a letter hoping they will be willing to make contact with me and share their information about the claim. Work smarter not harder, right? Again, thanks all and I will keep everyone posted. I guess I will have to start an adventure thread.

 

[Bejay]

Considering the lode history! I am assuming there is existing lode potential. I would suggest filing the lode as well. Remember a lode can go on top of a placer. But a placer can not go over a lode. If the lode is still open someone can file the lode on top of your placer. if for any reason your placer were to become "void" no one can place the placer on top of the lode. The placer will be history and in the hands of the lode claim owner.

Many in todays mining world are filing lodes on top of existing placers. Simply for the reason stated above. It makes their future position one of knowing they got the placer should any obstacles cause the placer to be void.

There are lots of devious culprits out in the mining world today! I imagine it is a valid historical aspect of mining as well!

Bejay

 

[Maitland]

I always thought if either a placer or lode claim was already filed on a piece of land, the opposite, of which isn't filed, couldn't be filed over it? I thought they had a ruling on that years ago, but maybe I'm misinformed. If lode were to override placer, wouldn't it be smart if everyone just filed lode claims even if they intended to work them as placer?

 

[Bejay]

One must understand how and why a lode is MADE. !st is the discovery aspect. "Assuming" was phrased in my comment. So if a lode existed I "assumed" there was an existing discovery aspect.
I have some personal knowledge that miners have actually located lodes with boundaries done exactly as placer boundaries.........now go try to challenge and get this one resolved.

OVERCLAIMING is an aspect of corruption in todays mining world. Dealing with it is better done prior to the problem as opposed to "after the fact". We think identity theft is becoming rampant....think about mining claims today and the corruption that is occurring...IMHO

Bejay

 

[fowledup]

I always thought if either a placer or lode claim was already filed on a piece of land, the opposite, of which isn't filed, couldn't be filed over it? I thought they had a ruling on that years ago, but maybe I'm misinformed. If lode were to override placer, wouldn't it be smart if everyone just filed lode claims even if they intended to work them as placer?

'Placer claims have an equality both in procedure and right with lode claims, but a lode claim provides no rights to placer deposits and a placer claim provides no rights to lode deposits' - Clipper mining v. Eli mining and Land Co. 194 US 220 (1904)

A lode claim can have access to a placer with prior express written consent.

 

[Jeff95531]

Good luck QNCrazy. Definitely keep us posted on everything as all looks promising.

 

[Bejay]

While rights of existence are established. The right of LOCATION bears cautionary fortitude.

Bejay