Recreation area.

[Mine Shaft]

Are you aloud to prospect in a recreation area ? from what i read on the USFS and BLM web sites its ok. We are prospecting off a forest road next to a creek its public land with turn outs and 2 pit toilet's. My friend went to a prospecting store and was talking with the owner about sluicing in that area he said we cannot prospect there. Thanks for any input.

 

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[Clay Diggins]

Check the Pub All Systems Geo Supp Report on the LR2000. If it's been withdrawn it will have an entry for the mineral closure.

Heavy Pans

 

[KevinInColorado]

Keep in mind that “Withdrawn from Mineral Entry” means you can’t file a claim. You can still prospect/sample...unless there is some other restriction stopping you. It generally takes a literal act of Congress (ie a specific law) to ban prospecting so that’s quite rare. It generally happens around major reservoirs and a few national conservation areas.

On the other hand, even the federal Wilderness Act allows manual prospecting.

Clay, thoughts?

 

[KevinInColorado]

Are you aloud to prospect in a recreation area ? from what i read on the USFS and BLM web sites its ok. We are prospecting off a forest road next to a creek its public land with turn outs and 2 pit toilet's. My friend went to a prospecting store and was talking with the owner about sluicing in that area he said we cannot prospect there. Thanks for any input.

1. Prospecting store owners are often wrong.
2. Check the status of the land via the mining claims and master title plats areas of Mylandmatters.org
3. If claimable (could be despite the public amenities!) check the county clerk for recent claims.
4. Go digging!

PS it’s “allowed” not aloud.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Thank you Clay and Kevin, i sent Clay a message with info on the area i dont know how to use that form.

 

[OwenT]

I think that national recreation areas are almost always withdrawn from mineral entry meaning no claims. "Mineral collecting" might still be allowed if the administering department hasn't imposed specific regulations stating otherwise. In that case maybe start thinking about Kevin's advice

I know that in the Sawtooths in ID were a popular crystal collecting area but since the USFS has imposed the regulation of "no mineral collecting" complete with signs on the trails and everything because it's in the sawtooth national recreation area. It was first a federal wilderness area though so like Kevin said that conflicts with the Wilderness Act which predates the Recreation area or the FS regulations. I know of another wilderness area with the same story in Washington.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Well looking at the land matters map it shows "5" claims in that area, dose that mean they are active if they are on that map ?

 

[Mine Shaft]

What do you think Clay ? thank you.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Sorry about the fuzzy lines, any way the road goes right through the 5 claims.

 

[et1955]

To get the info you are looking for just click the " i " on the side bar and then click on the area your interested in and a window will appear giving you the info you are looking for.

 

[Mine Shaft]

To get the info you are looking for just click the " i " on the side bar and then click on the area your interested in and a window will appear giving you the info you are looking for.

Thank you. I clicked on the i and the area and the info is there but i dont know what it means, it looks like its all up to date. We will be going there in the morning i was just wanted to make sure.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

It would be safe to assume the waterways are claimed by that map.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Any gold bearing waterways with easy access and next to a road, you can bet they are claimed.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Any gold bearing waterways with easy access and next to a road, you can bet they are claimed.

...if they can be, that is.

 

[et1955]

Here you go, you can call the BLM office in your area and for nominal fee get copies of the claims in the area or go the County recorders office and research the claims in the area, from what I saw the land outside the claim boxes belongs to the county.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Got it thank you.

 

[QNCrazy]

To completely understand the information that comes up when clicking on the "i", you need to understand the aliquot mapping system (meridians, townships, ranges, sections, etc.). BLM has an information packet about claims that explains the system (search BLM). Once you figure it out it's like you learned another language.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I have this weird feeling a similiar topic has come up recently.
Landmatters was provided as a resource, I'm sure.

#1 mining rule - check land status before you start prospecting.

This little bit of free research prevents you from being that guy that leaves all the freshly scraped bedrock and neat little piles of evenly graded rocks for the claim owner to find when they manage to schedule a weekend to go mining.

It also ensures you are spending your prospecting time as efficiently as possible. In other words when you find that really great paying spot..it can actually be YOURS to own instead of someone else's.

Ask questions..lots of people here willing to help you learn how to do it the right way.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters provides books, tutorials and a three part video on understanding the public land survey system.

As QNCrazy pointed out you need to start there before you can understand the land description system outside of the original 13 colonies.

Do the work to learn the system and you will be well on your way to understanding what you need to know to find areas open to prospecting and mining.

Heavy Pans

 

[Mine Shaft]

Thanks again for the info. I am learning these aspects of the public land system, i have also been talking with BLM people the first time the lady was not up to speed on some of the stuff related to staking a claim and prospecting but the second person went on and on about the laws. I will catch on to this just takes a little time.