Mining Claim Questions

[n01d3x]

I am trying to figure out how to get my first mining claim. My buddy has a cabin close to a pretty well known hot spot here in Gold Country. I'm fairly certain there is no area left that is unclaimed near there, but figured it would be a good experience figuring out for sure. There are claim signs all up and down the river, but I heard that a lot of people have given up claims recently due to changes in the claim fee structure. So I'm just trying to verify whether this whole area is claimed up. I have looked up the area on mylandmatters, found the township and section etc. It shows 13 active claims. Here is where I am somewhat stuck. My buddy says that we need to go to Sacramento and get the mapping info for these claims and draw them out on a map and look for any open areas. Is this true? If not, what's next?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[SunshineMiner]

Tagging a long for useful information later

 

[winners58]

you have to go to the county recorders office look up each of the claim location notices to get the description
the BLM registry only lists the 1/4 section ie. down to 160 acres https://www.blm.gov/or/programs/minerals/files/section.pdf
use My Land matters - Mining Claims Maps or use https://www.blm.gov/lr2000/ to access each claim report, keep checking
to see if a miner is keeping his reporting up to date, small miners exemption or "rent payment" is due on September 1st
you should wait for any curable defects or the customary time to see if the miner just made a mistake and still wants to keep his claim.
labor / improvements requirement from the previous year are due on or before December 30th.

 

[StreamlineGold]

easiest way is to start with LR2000, search mining claims geo index, choose meridian, township, range, section. Look for ones that have recently closed, and then double check with the county recorders office and make sure someone else didn't claim that same spot. Depending on the recorder, some are easier to search than others but you should see actual maps that the claim owners have drawn up. Once you find a spot you think might be open, then physically verify it on the ground, because once a notice is posted on the ground you have 90 days to file it with the BLM etc, so there is some lag time so the records you find are not always up to date.

Theres a pretty good guide on the BLM's website for the claiming process if / once you get that far.

 

[n01d3x]

There's some active claims that the last fees shown are from 2014-15. Does that mean that the info is just not loaded yet or that they didn't pay their fees. Either way I am going to try and map this whole area just for the experience. It's easy to get to and I'm up there a lot anyway. I'm tired of working the public areas that I know of as they are all heavily worked. I still do decent, but the chances for bigger gold is almost non-existent.

 

[Hoser John]

LR2000 has been given to the enviros and trashed. Go with your buddies ideas as BLM will even send to your door all the info-new or historic-on any area for a lousy buck a page from the public room. Simply watch the rain fall and call in kalif. 1-916-978-4400 and you will get what you need BUT-always one. Every year the BLM sends all recorders offices "their" inaccurate list of new/dropped claims. Then takes the Tax Appraiser months-if at all-to log/change the records and takes the Recorders Office many various times to even log into the public records new claims. 90 days to file so feets on the ground is mandatory. Involved helping out associates on 2 contested situations right now. Prepare to get filthy as computer claiming abounds and I'd be a millionaire for all the stolen claims I've seen. Mark your claims BUT do not file till the last minute as claimjumpers now have computer programs that scan public records and you date your work today BUT they backfile and viola you got no claim. Dog eat dog and never forget. John

 

[n01d3x]

Thanks for the advice. Seems like it should be easier to find and stake a claim. I just want a spot on the river, within an hour or so from my house that I can work, lol! I'll work on mapping this area out, then move on to other areas if there's no spot open.

 

[Clay Diggins]

LR2000 has been given to the enviros and trashed. Go with your buddies ideas as BLM will even send to your door all the info-new or historic-on any area for a lousy buck a page from the public room. Simply watch the rain fall and call in kalif. 1-916-978-4400 and you will get what you need BUT-always one.

I'm of the opinion that a certain portion of BLM employees are the "enviros". The "new" geocommunicator is just a logical progression of the decline in BLM records information that began with the 2012 takedown of the geocommunicater land status display (including mining claims).

Copies from the BLM in California are 17 cents a page. They were 15 cents a page for many years and sometimes still are depending on who you ask.

Every year the BLM sends all recorders offices "their" inaccurate list of new/dropped claims. Then takes the Tax Appraiser months-if at all-to log/change the records and takes the Recorders Office many various times to even log into the public records new claims.

The BLM does no such thing. A few Counties in California do charge tax and they can pull their information from the LR2000 records like everyone else if they wish but there is no requirement they do so. California State Board of Equalization (PDF) They don't need to communicate with the BLM because they rely on the County Records claim owners are required to make by law.

If you abandon a claim and don't make a Record at the County you can still be charged tax. It would be unwise to rely on the BLM to fulfill your obligation to inform the County when you no longer have a claim. That might be why you imagine the BLM is providing an "inaccurate list"?

90 days to file so feets on the ground is mandatory. Involved helping out associates on 2 contested situations right now. Prepare to get filthy as computer claiming abounds and I'd be a millionaire for all the stolen claims I've seen. Mark your claims BUT do not file till the last minute as claimjumpers now have computer programs that scan public records and you date your work today BUT they backfile and viola you got no claim. Dog eat dog and never forget. John

It's true that if you record and file your claim location notice at the end of the 90 days it's just as valid if you do it on the first day of location.

It's untrue that a backdater can take your claim. Claims are made on the ground. The recording or filing date does not determine when a claim was located.

If a locator isn't careful to document his location staking event (pictures, witnesses) they may find themselves in court trying to defend their claim with paperwork. Knowledgeable locators and miners win these cases easily because they have witnesses and pictures to back them up. Witnesses and pictures win against paper proof every time. If a locator can't prove the facts of their location they may have problems later but it won't be because of their filing date it will be because or their lax location proof.

In my experience claim jumpers are the least of a locators worries.

I study and map more than 1,000 mining claims a year and I have virtually never seen an example of locators backdating a location notice to "claim jump" a new location. I have, on the other hand, seen hundreds of backdated recordings by locators trying to avoid the sinister and virtually non existent "claim jumping" being warned about here. Much more common is paper only locations. Even more common than that is overclaiming existing claims. The fact is that it is illegal to backdate any mining claim location notice. Backdating does not ever create a valid claim. Paper claiming is a crime. Overclaiming a preexisting claim doesn't result in a valid mining claim.

Most crooks are lazy. Most crooks paper claim or overclaim but their intent is to sell bogus claims to unsuspecting buyers. Crooks aren't lying in wait for someone to make a claim. Thousands of claims a month are located and any experienced miner will tell you that new claims are not an indicator of rich or even profitable ground. Trying to jump someone's new claim on the off chance it's rich ground would run a miner bankrupt within weeks.

Heavy Pans

 

[n01d3x]

I live in Auburn, CA. Is it a safe bet that the rivers within a hour of me are completely claimed up? Anyone know of any good clubs with claims close to me? Also Clay, I saw in another thread that you were in Alta. My brother in law lives up there. Do you know if it's worth it to go down powerhouse road and prospect down there?

 

[Asmbandits]

I live in Auburn, CA. Is it a safe bet that the rivers within a hour of me are completely claimed up? Anyone know of any good clubs with claims close to me? Also Clay, I saw in another thread that you were in Alta. My brother in law lives up there. Do you know if it's worth it to go down powerhouse road and prospect down there?

Most of the area your speaking near Auburn is either rec area, claimed or wild and scenic river or has no access. The bear near powerhouse is either claimed, private property or withdrawn due to reservoir and power plant nearby. There is a GPAA claim on the bear near there if you join them.

 

[Hoser John]

Hahahaha BS abounds as just went through this exact same bs in Shasta county Tax office as they presented us with the list sent to them by the BLM to look through for a claim my friend wanted to file but too late.


(comment deleted for rule violation)

Originally Posted by Hoser John LR2000 has been given to the enviros and trashed. Go with your buddies ideas as BLM will even send to your door all the info-new or historic-on any area for a lousy buck a page from the public room. Simply watch the rain fall and call in kalif. 1-916-978-4400 and you will get what you need BUT-always one.
I'm of the opinion that a certain portion of BLM employees are the "enviros". The "new" geocommunicator is just a logical progression of the decline in BLM records information that began with the 2012 takedown of the geocommunicater land status display (including mining claims).

Copies from the BLM in California are 17 cents a page. They were 15 cents a page for many years and sometimes still are depending on who you ask.

Originally Posted by Hoser John
Every year the BLM sends all recorders offices "their" inaccurate list of new/dropped claims. Then takes the Tax Appraiser months-if at all-to log/change the records and takes the Recorders Office many various times to even log into the public records new claims.



The BLM does no such thing. A few Counties in California do charge tax and they can pull their information from the LR2000 records like everyone else if they wish but there is no requirement they do so. California State Board of Equalization (PDF) They don't need to communicate with the BLM because they rely on the County Records claim owners are required to make by law.

If you abandon a claim and don't make a Record at the County you can still be charged tax. It would be unwise to rely on the BLM to fulfill your obligation to inform the County when you no longer have a claim. That might be why you imagine the BLM is providing an "inaccurate list"?

Originally Posted by Hoser John
90 days to file so feets on the ground is mandatory. Involved helping out associates on 2 contested situations right now. Prepare to get filthy as computer claiming abounds and I'd be a millionaire for all the stolen claims I've seen. Mark your claims BUT do not file till the last minute as claimjumpers now have computer programs that scan public records and you date your work today BUT they backfile and viola you got no claim. Dog eat dog and never forget. John


""
It's true that if you record and file your claim location notice at the end of the 90 days it's just as valid if you do it on the first day of location.

It's untrue that a backdater can take your claim. Claims are made on the ground. The recording or filing date does not determine when a claim was located.

If a locator isn't careful to document his location staking event (pictures, witnesses) they may find themselves in court trying to defend their claim with paperwork. Knowledgeable locators and miners win these cases easily because they have witnesses and pictures to back them up. Witnesses and pictures win against paper proof every time. If a locator can't prove the facts of their location they may have problems later but it won't be because of their filing date it will be because or their lax location proof.

In my experience claim jumpers are the least of a locators worries.

I study and map more than 1,000 mining claims a year and I have virtually never seen an example of locators backdating a location notice to "claim jump" a new location. I have, on the other hand, seen hundreds of backdated recordings by locators trying to avoid the sinister and virtually non existent "claim jumping" being warned about here. Much more common is paper only locations. Even more common than that is overclaiming existing claims. The fact is that it is illegal to backdate any mining claim location notice. Backdating does not ever create a valid claim. Paper claiming is a crime. Overclaiming a preexisting claim doesn't result in a valid mining claim.

Most crooks are lazy. Most crooks paper claim or overclaim but their intent is to sell bogus claims to unsuspecting buyers. Crooks aren't lying in wait for someone to make a claim. Thousands of claims a month are located and any experienced miner will tell you that new claims are not an indicator of rich or even profitable ground. Trying to jump someone's new claim on the off chance it's rich ground would run a miner bankrupt within weeks.""


What a waste of time as you will say anything and everything against my every post no matter how insipid or stupidly irrelevant to the real issue at hand. All you want to do is divide hahahha like their is any miner unity see PLP,MMUA cash steal mess . Grow up and contribute as you can but your intense hatred has you flummoxed to the point of insanity. We spent many hours going over the claim list but multiple people are wrong because you say so?? Hahah I DID NOT SAY ALL COUNTIES TAX- as you create insipid bs evermore to fight over you made up declarations. Hibankers and water quality board yet another righteous example as you pontificate NO NEVER REQUIRED -hahaha as we've had WQ meetings and new laws since Jan 16 on and on and on -get a life and quit killing this forum I've been an contributor for over 21 years and ain't going nowhere. John

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hoser John, please end the insults, they violate our rules and you have been warned about it in the past.

 

[n01d3x]

Wow, I didn't think asking questions about mining claims would bring drama! My bad! Back on topic. Is there a list of GPAA claims somewhere? I can't seem to find one. I'm also struggling to find info on any local mining clubs. I found the new 49ers, but they seem to be mostly way up north. Whether I end up with my own claim, or a member of a club I don't care. I just want a spot that has a descent chance at better gold than the obvious public spots around here. Not trying to do anything crazy, just run a few buckets through my sluice a couple of days a month.

 

[MadMarshall]

the goldhounds is decent enough club to get you familiar with mining in placer county.

 

[n01d3x]

Thanks I'll check them out.

Do the goldhounds have any claims, I can't find any info on that on their website.

 

[RobertF]

Wow, I didn't think asking questions about mining claims would bring drama! My bad! Back on topic. Is there a list of GPAA claims somewhere? I can't seem to find one. <snip>

GPAA just put a fairly neutered version of their claims directory up for members to search online. I think you can still see some of the claim details without being a member, just not actual coordinates.

Gold Prospectors Association of America > Community > GPAA Claim Directory

 

[goldenmojo]

Thanks I'll check them out.

Do the goldhounds have any claims, I can't find any info on that on their website.

About 10 years ago a couple of friends of the family wanted a claim in Placer County and put boots on the ground to check out what looked like a place that appeared to be unclaimed. After a brutal 2.5 hour hike that included breaking through large stands of poison oak they arrived to find that the claim they were checking out was claimed and occupied. They found out from the occupier that one upstream was not taken so they claimed it and filed the correct papers. As they say boots on the ground. Comstock Prospectors out of Reno have a claim somewhere in Placer I think its called the Kenneth and a few in Plumas County. Have no info on quality quanity or anything else.

 

[garety]

You might check the status of the claim signs that are posted too.

I wrote down 5 of the names on the claim signs up here in Shasta county along a creek the other day, and only one of the last names was still active.

There are a lot of claims that have signs on them that have lapsed, granted this was 5 miles back behind locked gates, but I doubt most people who let a claim lapse, bother to take down the sign.