Outwardjourney we do offer private mapping services. We work with individual prospectors to larger mining operations. In particular Geologists and Mining Engineers tend to keep us busy.
We get requests for mapping in places like Australia, Colombia, Alaska, Canada and Kazakhstan. We don't map those areas because our experience and expertise relates to the the open public lands in the Western United States. We would like to map some of the Eastern States but we just don't have the experience or time to climb that learning curve.
"We" is myself and my wife Ruby. Just the two of us. Not a big corporation or a scheme to repackage the same data you find on the internet. We work very long hours and stay very busy because we seem to be the only people who offer these services to prospectors and small miners. The big mining companies have in house mapping and research departments so they can take care of themselves usually.
We are always happy to share our knowledge of research and mapping. We don't succeed by keeping secrets but by doing what we do with attention to detail and honest dedication.
You don't need to be a programmer to make your own maps. You can combine data sources in interesting and useful ways to meet your specific needs right at home. Get a copy of
Qgis. It's the most flexible and capable mapping program available and it's free. Learn what a projection is and study the
National Map site to see what mapping layers might be useful to you. All those mapping layers can be displayed and worked with right in your Qgis mapping windows. If you keep your mapped area relatively small you can download that same map data and manipulate and combine it for your own specific needs.
Google Earth is very limited but can be quite useful for generalized looks at a larger area. As far as accuracy and map age the two aren't mutually exclusive. Humans have been making maps for a very long time and the quality of any given map relies more on the purpose of the map and the skills of the mapmaker than what year it was made in. The best Topos are only accurate to about 40 foot no matter which year they were made in.
The accuracy of the sources found in the public realm can be pretty bad. The MRDS and Google Earth being prime examples. If you want better accuracy you will need to get a grasp on the quality of different data sources, even then you may have to use several sources of differing accuracy and compare the results to get an idea of the reality on the ground. We provide several sources for our map users so they can compare aerial images and topo maps from different years and times of year. This allows the map user to compare seasonal differences as well as revealing different features in Topos made by different mapmakers.
While the MRDS may be miles off there are better sources for what you are looking for. The
Government Land Office has over 5 million patent grants and surveys that are by definition the ultimate in accuracy. Some Eastern States never had public lands so generally you aren't going to find patents or surveys for the original 13 States unless their was a Military Service or private Congressional Grant. You just have to look and see if one for your area of study is in their records.
Probably the most accurate information for any specific piece of land is going to be your County Tax Plat. These maps will generally have roads, buildings, fence lines, wells and mine shafts, adits and tailings piles. You may have to pay a few bucks or make promises to get those maps in some counties and the maps are subject to political influence but they can help to get a complete picture.
I hope that helps answer your questions Outwardjourney. Good luck in your search.
