Mining Claim fees going up again

[Clay Diggins]

The BLM just raised mining claim location fees to $40.
They also raised the annual maintenance fees to $165. That $165 applies to every 20 acres on a placer claim.

These new fees take effect on September 1, 2019 at 12:01 a.m. If you have already paid your maintenance fees for the upcoming mining year you will still need to pony up the extra $10 per claim/20 acres.

The BLM is saying they will send you a notice if you owe more than you have already paid. If they don't you still need to pay so I wouldn't be waiting around for that letter in the mail, just be prepared to pay up before September 1.

This will give you an idea of how much the annual base maintenance fees per claim/size will be now.

0-20 acre placer millsite, tunnel site or lode claim = $165
20-40 acre placer claim = $330
40-60 acre placer claim = $495
60-80 acre placer claim = $660
80-100 acre placer claim = $825
100-120 acre placer claim = $990
120-140 acre placer claim = $1155
140-160 acre placer claim = $1320

If you have 10 or fewer claims you may be eligible for the small miner's waiver. The fees are the same for the annual small miner filing $15 per claim no matter what size it is as long as you complete $100 worth of work on each claim.

You can read the notice announcing these new fees in today's Federal Register.

Heavy Pans

 

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[okbasspro]

Thank you Clay I know some will complain but still very reasonable fees for a claim. Maybe some of the outfits that have 1000s of acres locked up will let loose of them.

 

[zemetrius]

please define "$100 worth of work on each claim"?

 

[Clay Diggins]

From the BLM:

Assessment work includes, but is not limited to, drilling, excavations, driving shafts and tunnels, sampling (geochemical or bulk), road construction on or for the benefit of the mining claim; and geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys.

The BLM only gives general guidelines. They will challenge any expenses used to get to the claim or payments for equipment. You can't include equipment, travel or fuel expenses only actual work/labor. If you hire a professional or outside labor they may ask for copies of the payment receipts.

The BLM does have the right to go upon your claim without notice to see the nature and extent of your labor efforts. That doesn't happen often but if you fib about labor (fraud) you can be caught and have your claim challenged or even closed.

Heavy Pans

 

[Bejay]

While the travel expense is not a viable "work" option; maintaining any portion of the access roads/trail is. Each and every year on USFS ?BLM roads; we have to cut our way into our claims because of fallen trees over the roads. Filling pot holes on roads is work as well....or even spray can painting the pothole hazards is work as well. Just getting into/onto our claims is viable "work performed", Additionally I have listed "removing tansy and poison oak" as work performed. Lots of viable options exist. Most notably just maintaining the camp and the removal of fire hazard debris is work performed as well. Hunters tend to "garbage up" a claim when they camp on them...so hauling off the garbage is "work performed". I figure I am worth a t least $100 a day....maintaining my "staging area".

Bejay

 

[zemetrius]

ok thanks, was just curious.

 

[mofugly13]

And what is the labor rate that the work is billed at? $15/hr, or ?

Construction laborer rate or skilled labor rate?

At my rate as an electrician, I only need to work for an hour and a half per claim to cover my yearly assessment. But I think I’d have a hard time selling brush, tree, and rock clearing at $70/hr.

So I figure $25/hr, and I covered that easily for one claim just clearing the road in of brush, rocks, and trees this past weekend.

Then, the trail to the workings was another couple of hours of work with a pair of loppers.

 

[Bejay]

And what is the labor rate that the work is billed at? $15/hr, or ?

Construction laborer rate or skilled labor rate?

At my rate as an electrician, I only need to work for an hour and a half per claim to cover my yearly assessment. But I think I’d have a hard time selling brush, tree, and rock clearing at $70/hr.

So I figure $25/hr, and I covered that easily for one claim just clearing the road in of brush, rocks, and trees this past weekend.

Then, the trail to the workings was another couple of hours of work with a pair of loppers.

In my small town; local Oregon area.,...... a yard maintenance person gets $20 to $30 and hour. Minimum wage is $11.25 an hr. in Oregon.

Bejay

 

[Goldwasher]

I piece work it out..

"Road maintenance North end" Date 4/8/20## one hour $20.00

"Removal over burden test area #2 " 5/10-5/11 20## six hours $ $120.00

Even if I based it on Ca. minimum wage it would only take a week to meet the annual requirements.

I keep it simple if they want to come check on me they will find what I've done

My claim neighbors not so much. I maintain the access and they both claim road maintenance that they don't do.

In fact one of them jacked up the road in the mud( that time of year i walk in and out) and when he got his truck unstuck he left the mess. Including a couple beer bottles thrown in the bushes

It doesnt take long to meet your annual labor. Hopefully they don't remind them selves how many hours $100 was in the 19th century

Maintenance of access even off of your claim count's
as well as stripping, digging and running materials. As it is "development"

It's what your supposed to do on a claim develop it ...So, do it take advantage and get your labor. File you SMW and save some funds for other things.

I wouldn't have a claim that I couldn't go to often enough to meet my annual assesment requirements.

 

[winners58]

so if they were located today would a person pay the old location fee and the new 2020 maintenance fee?
I have a friend that just sent the location and fees for 5 claims today July 1st looks to me it looks like they will still owe 50?
location fees take effect Sept 1st 2019 but first year 2020 maintenance fees would have to be paid?

 

[Clay Diggins]

The maintenance fee is always paid for the mining year in which you locate the claim.

Claims located before September 1st 2019 pay the old first year maintenance fee of $155 and Location fee of $37.

Claims located after September 1st 2019 pay the new first year maintenance fee of $165 and Location fee of $40.

Since your friend located before September 1, 2019 the old fees ($155 + $37) they paid for first year location are enough but the new maintenance fee of $165 per claim/20 acres is due and payable by August 30th of 2019 for the upcoming 2020 mining year. Essentially your friend gets the month's of July and August for their first year (2019) fee.

Hope that helps.

Heavy Pans