General Mining Claims Question

[Rail Dawg]

I understand there are maps and other ways to find active claims.

I'm heading into Northern Nevada for a couple weeks and plan to prospect on BLM land in several areas.

Are claims generally marked or do I have to rely solely on maps and the county recorder?

My plan is to go far off the beaten path in some cases.

Any suggestions/words of wisdom are appreciated.

 

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[mofugly13]

I remember when I first tried to stake a claim. I mistakenly went to a BLM satellite office in El Dorado Hills, and asked to see claim maps, they told me "there are no maps!" They directed me to BLM in Sac, and same thing "There are no maps". Well, sure there are, you just need to use the MyLandMatters.org site, or LR2000 to get the CAMC# of the claims in the area where you are looking to claim, and ask for those files at the BLM, where you can peruse all of the paperwork that was filed with the claim, including the legal description by Aliquot parts, or Metes and Bounds, and a topo map provided by the claimant with the outline of the claim drawn on it. You also need to go to the County Recorder, where they will also have a copy of the Location Notice (including claimant provided map), to verify the info you found at BLM, because, really, it's what is filed in the recorders office that matters.

 

[Rail Dawg]

I remember when I first tried to stake a claim. I mistakenly went to a BLM satellite office in El Dorado Hills, and asked to see claim maps, they told me "there are no maps!" They directed me to BLM in Sac, and same thing "There are no maps". Well, sure there are, you just need to use the MyLandMatters.org site, or LR2000 to get the CAMC# of the claims in the area where you are looking to claim, and ask for those files at the BLM, where you can peruse all of the paperwork that was filed with the claim, including the legal description by Aliquot parts, or Metes and Bounds, and a topo map provided by the claimant with the outline of the claim drawn on it. You also need to go to the County Recorder, where they will also have a copy of the Location Notice (including claimant provided map), to verify the info you found at BLM, because, really, it's what is filed in the recorders office that matters.

This is good stuff!

Do many active claims have physical markings or is the only way to know is by using the methods you describe?

 

[kenpodetector]

Most active claims "should" have markers we are supposed to keep them up to date. But the LR2000 is a real pos. Mine Cache is the best I have worked with. You can sign up and get a free trial. Its like 30 bucks or something like that a year. It gets its information from the BLM database. But you still need to be vigilant when you are on site. I live in N. Nevada and have mining claims here for a number of years. Not sure what sort of mineral claim you want to find but if you drop me a note PM I can give you some info. Best of Luck

 

[okbasspro]

It is the prospectors responsibility to do their due diligence. The county will have the paperwork you seek not BLM. A person has 90 days to file with BLM after county. Some states mineral trespass is a felony.

 

[mofugly13]

Claims should have a discovery monument with location notice attached with all the claim boundary info on it. However, 20 acres is quite large, and in some heavily wooded areas off of the beaten path, a monument could be very tough to find. Ideally, it's in a very conspicuous place, as it is there to let others know that there is a mining claim, so keep yer pans to yerself! But like I said, sometimes there's no conspicuous place on a claim that is way back in the cuts. Also, monuments damaged or destroyed by weather or critters or progs. So just because you don't find a monument, doesn't mean there isn't a claim there. I put a star on my location notice map designating the monuments location, because, on one of my claims, it takes some trail blazing to get to it, and really unless youre right on top of the monument, it's tough to find.

Edit: What okbasspro said about the recorders office... That's the real, official, place to find claim info that is the most up to date, and should probably be your first stop.

 

[Rail Dawg]

With so much BLM land to search in Nevada I have no intent on prospecting on anyone's claim.

The goal is to find BLM land that is claim-free.

I downloaded the trial version of MineCache but haven't figured out how to get claims shown.

Do I need to buy the full version to do so?

Thanks for helping me learn.

 

[bug]

Just go to Land Matters and click on
Nevada claims. Its free. Zoom into your area of interest on the map and the claims will pop up. When you get to the field, being that its wide open desert, you can always keep an eye out for any recently filed claims that have not popped up on BLM records. Fresh legitimate claims should still have the corner markers, and monument in place. If they dont, something is shady.
Northern Nevada also has many claims held by huge globalist mining companies. Some of these outfits do not mind any casual use surface detecting if they are not mining in the intimidate area. So thats something you can check into.

 

[Rail Dawg]

Just go to Land Matters and click on
Nevada claims. Its free. Zoom into your area of interest on the map and the claims will pop up. When you get to the field, being that its wide open desert, you can always keep an eye out for any recently filed claims that have not popped up on BLM records. Fresh legitimate claims should still have the corner markers, and monument in place. If they dont, something is shady.
Northern Nevada also has many claims held by huge globalist mining companies. Some of these outfits do not mind any casual use surface detecting if they are not mining in the intimidate area. So thats something you can check into.

Hey thanks for the Land Matters idea!

I haven't heard of this and it appears to be exactly what I'm looking for. A graphical way to see claims on a map.

Still trying to figure out MineCache.

Looks like I'm making slow but sure progress to being able to prospect without stepping onto someone's claim.

Thanks Bug!!

 

[Terry Soloman]

If you don't know where you're going - don't go.

If you think that looking online can keep you off someone's claim, you're mistaken.

You can't just drive out west and hope to find a nugget with your metal detector. If you are looking for the word of god in an online forum you are bound to fail.

Amen.

 

[winners58]

anywhere gold is found there will be mining claims, in Nevada huge swaths are claimed up by big mining concerns.
get with a mining club, ask people where they go, or ask about a few specific area's
one area I've heard of is the Rye patch and what other open spots others prospect.
just a quick search of clubs that have claims;
https://www.facebook.com/Reno-Prospecting-and-Detecting-Club-257744064352418/
Comstock Gold Prospectors, Inc. and www.nyegoldseekers.org

 

[Rail Dawg]

Thanks for the good info.

I've been exploring Nevada for 30 years and will do my best to do the right thing.

It's amazing how remote you can get.

I do appreciate all the guidance!

 

[Rail Dawg]

If you don't know where you're going - don't go.

If you think that looking online can keep you off someone's claim, you're mistaken.

You can't just drive out west and hope to find a nugget with your metal detector. If you are looking for the word of god in an online forum you are bound to fail.

Amen.

A journey has to start with a first step.

I've always maintained a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.

It may take time but I'm going to find gold.

How did we survive prospecting before the internet??

 

[russau]

How did we survive prospecting before the internet??[/QUOTE] RUMMORS! Buying fake maps to the X spot and bar room advice ,always helped me find gold! Im also going to buy a bridge in Brooklyn NY

 

[okbasspro]

How did we survive prospecting before the internet??

RUMMORS! Buying fake maps to the X spot and bar room advice ,always helped me find gold! Im also going to buy a bridge in Brooklyn NY[/QUOTE]

No need to go all the way east I got one in Arizona I will make you a great deal on.

 

[Hoser John]

In California a claim can be taken just by legal subdivision with the erection of a simple "Discovery Monument" and no corners marked requirement. A discovery of minerals is required but many do not. Never understood that but now go to blm.gov for the Claims Manual download and ALL the regs, rules, explainations, layouts for free,or buy the book. I replace some claim markers 2-3 times a year as newbies/homeless/campers love to burn the 4 x 4 posts, which is a felony. You will spend much time at the County Recorders office , now almost all have computers and microfische pass into history. Err on the side of caution and lots of luck-John

 

[Rail Dawg]

Again thanks guys.

Heading out in just over a week.

 

[minerrick]

If you know the area you are going to look over, I'd first go to the LR2000 and download a list of all the claims in each T/R/S you are interested in and then take that list to the County Recorders office. Sort through their recording records to find the original filings of the claims in each section (I take pictures with my phone for future reference). All of the original filings will have descriptions - or boundaries (if you are looking at a description from 1900, it may read "stacked pile of rocks, tree with blaze on it..." and is pretty much useless 116 years later. Some of the filings will have maps. I usually take pics of all the filings and then go home and plot them all out on google earth, for reference. At this point, you can determine which locations don't have active claims on them. So, THEN I would go out in the field and check the open ground. Depending on how old the claim is- the older claims will most likely be very poorly marked, if marked at all, so that is a good reason to bring a gps and map to plot out the exact boundaries. I've been using a Delorme Inreach, as a satellite receiver and it connects to the Gaia map on my smart phone. It is handy to have all sorts of maps available at a click to be able to see topos, aerials, and other maps at your fingertips, not to mention determining EXACTLY where you are.

Occasionally when searching through the county records, you will find claims filed at the BLM, but no evidence of any filing at the County recorders. I believe a claim not filed at the county recorders is invalid. I have seen up to 5% of the claims located in the LR2000 not having a corresponding filing at the recorders office. I also have found lots of evidence that people don't do due diligence at the recorders office before filing claims. There are certain local rivers where claims are filed on top of each other, "stacked like cordwood". So, unless you want to get into a argument with someone who has previously filed on a claim you want to file on, I'd recommend you check to make sure the property you are filing on is available. Lots of instances where it appears someone thinks " I think I will file on this" without researching any previous filings. It can be a very expensive mistake and could cause some tense moments at the claim with the previous filers.

 

[mikep691]

In Nevada, 3" PVC is the unofficial state flower. Most are LODE claim markers, and only two are required. The actual claim will extend 300' either side of the line between these two markers, which theoretically indicate the direction of the vein. The total area of a LODE claim is 20.66 acres and doesn't have to follow the PLSS or surveyed land markers.

As John stated in California (and many other states) corner markers are not required to be maintained, but you must describe them ONCE on your notice of location. After three years on my claim, I stopped maintaining my corner markers. 60 acres is a lot of mountain to cover carrying 4x4's.

 

[Hoser John]

You can also do a witness marker stating the direction and distance up a cliff, down a gully or in a deep draw to the location. I have a couple as a 600' perpendicular cliff is just not feasible to post. ALL pvc , topped or not and 3" also are no longer allowable in calif ---and notices are in annual info pak for a few years and online. Seems a environut found a dead lizard and one found a bird.. More critters bs as usual. John