Prospectors Research Tools

[Clay Diggins]

Prospector's Research Tools

I haven't been around much this summer and with the desert prospecting season just starting it's a good time to show off what I did this long hot summer. I have been working with a few friends on a new non-profit organization to give you a single place for all your land research.

The result is MyLandMatters.Org. This is the gateway to your land information repository. Maps, books, tutorials, community resources and quality, easy-to-access information about the land around you.

No ads, No memberships, No log-in required.

This past spring while sitting around with some friends we came to the conclusion that most of the important and useful things that we want to know about the land around us was difficult to locate and tough to understand. Despite the many sources of information there was no single place to find the information available.

We decided we could do something about that. We agreed to put our time and energy into creating a single place that anyone could find the answers to questions about the land.

It's a big project. It has taken a lot of work, learning and resources to get things started. But after six months of long days, and more than a few nights, the Land Matters repository is ready for you to use.

Land Matters is all about the land. You can find Land Status Maps, Active Mining Claims Maps (with live direct links into the current LR2000 claims database), A great collection of mining books, Land Laws, Geology books and maps, Forest Travel Plans and a whole lot more.

Land Matters is for land users. Our collections are guided by community input. That's you. Let us know what kind of material you would like to find in our Library or a particular map you would like to see. Help us build Land Matters to best serve the community.

We've already got a lot of things that prospectors have been asking for - the claims maps alone were almost universally requested. Land Matters isn't just for prospectors and miners. But you can help prioritize our efforts and drive the content of Land Matters. Prospectors now have a unique opportunity to help guide and build an information resource designed by prospectors and for prospectors.

We are just getting started filling the Library but there will be hundreds of books, maps and items added in the next few weeks. We've even got a Newsletter so you can get regular updates about new additions to the Land Matters repository.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Here are a few good places to start:

Tutorials - the current focus is on understanding Land Status.
Maps - We all like maps and we've got some you will love.
Library - search for something.

Heavy Pans
Barry & Leigh

 

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[Clay Diggins]

Already found some that will be closed fixing to jump a jet plane and do some staking. [emoji106]

Go get U sum!

Let me know if pie will help you survive the heat okbasspro. It was 108 on my back porch yesterday.

I'll be passing by your other claim early next Wednesday I'll try and see what the water situation is.

Heavy Pans
Barry

 

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[okbasspro]

its dry Clay I will work that one in February. I have a step son graduating Marine Boot Friday and have a layover in Phx. My brother is picking me up and we are taking his UTV to the middle of nowhere to look at the claim. He will run the paperwork to county for me if needed. Many thanx for your site it is AWESOME.

 

[spillercanyon]

It's Cali I have to deal with. It's a beautiful state brought to its knees by politicians. It usually takes Cali a month or so to get all the paperwork processed and updated, closing claims is a much longer process. I have been spending a lot of time at the local county offices plotting exact locations of local claims but once plotted on a map, which I have dozens, it's easy to watch their paperwork on My Land Matters with the county reports link. Thanks Clay for making prospecting easier!

 

[mikep691]

Unbelievably, Ca. BLM had my SMW posted by the 10th of Sep. Copies in the mail a couple days later.

 

[Goldwasher]

I'm glad I can go in person.

My stuff shows up next update.

The idea of MY work sitting on some desk jocky desk for days before even being looked at bugs me.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters updated their Mining Claim Maps this past Monday.

As we start into a new mining year everyone seems to be waiting for the newest claims closures. So far this year Nevada has seen the biggest changes with 55,000 acres opening up in just the last 15 days. Those ~2,700 closures are mostly relinquished claims from a few large mining companies. It's getting colder in Nevada so if you are looking to prospect for a new claim you will want to do so soon.

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters updated their Mining Claims Maps this past Monday.

Utah closed a bunch of claims this period about 3,200 in the last 15 days.
Closed claims since September 1 total 6,427 with 3,748 new claims located during the same period.
We are just getting started on the new mining year - typically about 50,000 new claims are located each year.
Oregon led in new claims locations with 398 new claims in the last 15 days.

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters Mining Claims Maps were updated yesterday.

I seem to have missed posting the last update on the 1st. Rest assured these maps are always updated twice a month - unlike the paid service maps.

I just checked and that adds up to 75 updates since we started these maps in October 2016. And counting...

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

The Land Matters Mining Claims Maps were updated this evening.

Arizona closed more than 46,000 acres of claims in the last two weeks - right in the middle of prospecting season. Lots of new areas opening up!

Go get U sum.


Heavy Pans

 

[oidium45]

The Land Matters Mining Claims Maps were updated this evening.

Arizona closed more than 46,000 acres of claims in the last two weeks - right in the middle of prospecting season. Lots of new areas opening up!

Go get U sum. [emoji106]


Heavy Pans

They closed some and opened land up for others?

 

[Clay Diggins]

They closed some and opened land up for others?

Current ACTIVE status mining claims are closed to prospecting. The land status changes when a mining claim location is made - that location is no longer open to prospecting or new mining claims.

When ACTIVE status mining claims are reclassified as CLOSED the land usually is then open to prospecting and new mining claim locations. It is as if the mining claim was never there.

So yeah - about 46,000 acres of land that was previously under claim is now open to prospecting and mining claims in Arizona. Just in the last two weeks. In some of the most productive gold producing areas.

If you are a prospector looking for gold this is a good thing - 46,000 acres good.

Now ... R U gonna go get U sum?

Heavy Pans

 

[oidium45]

Current ACTIVE status mining claims are closed to prospecting. The land status changes when a mining claim location is made - that location is no longer open to prospecting or new mining claims.

When ACTIVE status mining claims are reclassified as CLOSED the land usually is then open to prospecting and new mining claim locations. It is as if the mining claim was never there.

So yeah - about 46,000 acres of land that was previously under claim is now open to prospecting and mining claims in Arizona. Just in the last two weeks. In some of the most productive gold producing areas.

If you are a prospector looking for gold this is a good thing - 46,000 acres good. [emoji106]

Now ... R U gonna go get U sum?

Heavy Pans

Ah, NICE! Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters has a New Project map up for your evaluation.

This new one is all about graticules. If you learned your orienteering in the military or if you've spent a lot of time studying maps like I do you've probably come to understand how useful those marked grid lines are on a map. Land Matters has figured a way to add a Graticule to any map. These aren't grids like a static map, they actually follow the curvature of the earth and are interactive - changing with your zoom levels as well as showing your location.

All graticules show latitude and longitude so they can be really helpful if you know the lat/lon of a place but you don't know where to find it on a map. Why not give this feature a try and let Land Matters know if it's something you would like to see available on all maps?

Just for fun I put the sample graticule map layer on the Historical Places map and turned on the "ghost Towns" map layer. While you are trying out the graticule feature check to see what ghost towns are nearby. You might just be surprised!

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters Mining Claim Maps were updated again yesterday afternoon.

Interesting that there were two very famous claims closed in Utah in the last two weeks. These claims were over 100 years old and the fight to save them went all the way to the Supreme Court.

In New Mexico there were more than 90 claims closed in Grant and Lincoln counties. Some of these were federal mineral claims on private SRHA lands - it appears all of the closed claims were on commercial deposits in productive mining districts. Might be something to look into over the Holiday if you are in New Mexico!

Heavy Pans

 

[winners58]

Looks like Land Matters will be the only claim research available.
LR2000 is down

Federal Government Shutdown
During the Federal government shutdown, no updates will be made to this website except in the case of an emergency.
For more information, please visit https://www.doi.gov

 

[Clay Diggins]

Surprisingly the BLM updated their databases so we downloaded a copy.

Yep the Land Matters Mining Claim Maps were updated earlier today.

This update only covers claim activity through the 21st of December. There have been no new entries since the gov shut down so this is the most current information possible.

The bulk of the changes are in Arizona where thousands of acres were opened up in some of the best gold mining districts. A smart Arizona prospector could find some interesting ground to explore.

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

The LR2000 is back up and running.

I guess the new boss told them to flip the switch. It did seem petty to take it down since the servers are already paid for.

Heavy Pans

 

[Oddjob]

My brother in law and son the other day where talking about taking a cycle expedition this year with their Zeds and Pans.

The big thing that came up was The Great Divide trail, plenty along the Divide to shoot and prospect. I have only done it one time my self and it was for riding reasons, only had a couple weeks off.

But I just saw that Land Matters listed the TransAm Trail; now thats hardcore. The Great Divide we where able to come up with about 40 points of interest that you would want to spend a couple days at each location prospecting. Hardly worth the bike ride unless your a bike slut like us who just love cycling. Looking at the TransAm, I am seeing a great deal more, easy just off hand more than 100 spots if your into gold and stones.

Thing about the TransAm is you can really diversify your route terrain from single track through hardball; meaning you could go either velomobile, road bike, fatbike, cross, hell or extreme freak with a Velove Armadillo.

Has your site ever figured on adding the Great Divide Trail as well; I mean seriously, who thinks of bike sluts and prospectors combined, like no one except for that website. It is too small of a minority.

But it would be cool too see the Great Divide overlay with that websites intel.

Anyway, going to pass this TransAm off to my son and brother in law.

 

[Clay Diggins]

My brother in law and son the other day where talking about taking a cycle expedition this year with their Zeds and Pans.

The big thing that came up was The Great Divide trail, plenty along the Divide to shoot and prospect. I have only done it one time my self and it was for riding reasons, only had a couple weeks off.

But I just saw that Land Matters listed the TransAm Trail; now thats hardcore. The Great Divide we where able to come up with about 40 points of interest that you would want to spend a couple days at each location prospecting. Hardly worth the bike ride unless your a bike slut like us who just love cycling. Looking at the TransAm, I am seeing a great deal more, easy just off hand more than 100 spots if your into gold and stones.

Thing about the TransAm is you can really diversify your route terrain from single track through hardball; meaning you could go either velomobile, road bike, fatbike, cross, hell or extreme freak with a Velove Armadillo.

Has your site ever figured on adding the Great Divide Trail as well; I mean seriously, who thinks of bike sluts and prospectors combined, like no one except for that website. It is too small of a minority.

But it would be cool too see the Great Divide overlay with that websites intel.

Anyway, going to pass this TransAm off to my son and brother in law.

Glad you found the TransAm trail map Oddjob. Sadly that one tends to get overlooked. It's a really cool map that shows a lot of what someone will encounter when traveling across the country on dirt. We have some younger members of our family that thought the TansAm would be a nice jaunt for a late summer trip. One of them even made it almost halfway without requiring hospitalization. It looks so easy on a map!

We have been working on several trail maps including the Continental divide and the Appalachian trail. Just a few of the many projects that Land Matters has begun working on.

The big thing that gets these projects moving is user interest. There are lots of maps to make for just two volunteers on a limited budget so we have a policy to put our efforts towards the most requested projects. We even have a page devoted to presenting these partially completed projects so users can give us feedback on what should take priority. Not surprisingly that's called the New Map Projects Page.

Thanks for the feedback. Tell all your bike slut friends to let us know what they would like to see and we'll put them on the project list!

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Well it's been a month since the BLM did any claims work but the Land Matters Mining Claim maps have finally been updated today.

The BLM only had a few days to update their databases but some State offices got 'er done. Only 45 claims had their case status changed to CLOSED but there were 1452 new claim locations pretty much across all the mining States. Nevada led with 1029 new claims but both Utah and Arizona added quite a few. You can see all those New Claims by turning on the "New Claims" layer on the Land Matters Mining Claim maps.

Out of the few claims closed there were some old claims in very good mining areas opening up. The BLM has a lot of catching up to do so the next few updates are going to be busy. Keep tuned to Land Matters because this is going to be an interesting few months. If you get the Claims Advantage reports you might even find that dream claim in time for the season!

Heavy Pans