Warning for Mining Claim Owners

[Clay Diggins]

If you own a mining claim in the lower 48 you may need to check the current status of your claim with the BLM.

On November 17th the BLM closed 28,340 mining claims.

On this same day last year they closed more than 20,000 mining claims. Many of the mining claims closed last year were closed in error. Although the BLM has reopened many of those mining claims closed in error last year many claim owners were left in limbo while the BLM tried to sort the mess.

Unfortunately you may find it difficult to check claim status with the BLM. At the same time the BLM closed the 28 thousand plus mining claims they shut down access to the MLRS claims mapping and removed 91% of claim owner names from the search databases and maps. Now it appears they have also shut down the online records entirely. There is no indication if or when any of these public services will be returned.

Land Matters Mining Claim maps have been updated since the claims were closed. The 28,000+ mining claims have been removed from the Land Matters claims maps. If you look on Land Matters and your claim isn't listed there is a very good chance your claim was closed.

The mass mining claim closure took place on November 17th and the Land Matters mining claim data is current as of November 20th. I think at present Land Matters is the only source for this closure information and they have the most current claims information. If you know of other more current claims maps please share them here.

You can also do a search on the Land Matters mining claim maps by the claim owner name and get the info on all your claims in one window. Land Matters did not remove claim owner information like the BLM did so you may have more luck searching Land Matters than searching the BLM (IF BLM returns the search tool functions)

Land Matters also sent out a very large report early this week to their Claims Advantage Members with every closed claim listed with individual maps and links to the BLM records. Now you know why they call it the Claims Advantage.

Land Matters educational charity was founded in 2014 for just these circumstances. After the BLM geocommunicator claims and land status map was taken down without notice or explanation in 2012 we noticed a lot of public information being removed from public access. We decided to do what the government has failed to do and aggregate and present this public information in a place that would be available to all people all the time.

I just looked and the Land Matters servers have been providing this updated mapping for the last 1,650 days without a single glitch. More than 100,000 maps are served some days.

And here is the remarkable thing. All these years and all this work are the result of an all volunteer non profit organization that relies exclusively on individual donations. Land Matters has no grants, has no advertising income, doesn't sell data and doesn't receive federal or state money. It really is a user supported resource. Thanks to all of you.

I don't know yet if any mining claims that were closed shouldn't have been closed. I certainly hope that isn't the situation this year. If I owned a mining claim I would be checking the status.

Heavy Pans

 

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[russau]

Thanks for the heads up Barry !

 

[Reed Lukens]

So, if they have closed your claim and you do have all of the paperwork back from the county, what do you do? Mine is still on file with the county, it was registered as open with blm in September, but it's not on the map now...

 

[Clay Diggins]

So, if they have closed your claim and you do have all of the paperwork back from the county, what do you do? Mine is still on file with the county, it was registered as open with blm in September, but it's not on the map now...

First check with the serial register page to see what the case file status is Reed. You will have to use the serial number because your claims no longer have owner information in the BLM database.

BLM Reporting Application

reports.blm.gov

You can still do a search on the Land Matters mining claim maps for your name. Use the binocular tool and a search for your last name will return a list of all the claims in that name in the state. Land Matters is the only online system that allows you to search by owner name. This is the method I suggest for people that own more than one claim.

I'm getting a lot of calls and emails about claims that have been closed that shouldn't have. Just a wild guess at this point but it looks like thousands of mining claims have been closed without cause. That happened last year too on the same date.

Land Matters Mining Claim Maps are current as of November 20 so they have the most recent claims mapping available anywhere. The other paid claims maps providers were last updated November 4 so they won't have these changes. Diggins hasn't updated their claims in almost two years.

I suggest that anyone who is having these problems with the BLM claim status send their details and a request to correct their case file to the BLM state office where your claims are located. Send that letter registered return receipt or risk the BLM saying it didn't happen. Sending a copy to your representatives might be a good idea too. Unfortunately I think it's going to be up to individual claim owners to get the BLM to make this right.

Land Matters will be updating their claims maps again next week. (We do that twice a month) Be sure and check that update if your claims have been closed. If the BLM is actually trying to fix this problem at least some of those claims closed in error should be back on the map.

Heavy Pans

 

[Mine Shaft]

Thanks Clay for that info. I checked LMs my claim is on the map lol.

 

[delnorter]

Amazing service and products to all of us Barry. Thanks to you and your people. Unfortunately a lot of public information in other sectors, besides mining, is being removed from access by we the people.
Mike

 

[Reed Lukens]

First check with the serial register page to see what the case file status is Reed. You will have to use the serial number because your claims no longer have owner information in the BLM database.

BLM Reporting Application

reports.blm.gov

You can still do a search on the Land Matters mining claim maps for your name. Use the binocular tool and a search for your last name will return a list of all the claims in that name in the state. Land Matters is the only online system that allows you to search by owner name. This is the method I suggest for people that own more than one claim.

I'm getting a lot of calls and emails about claims that have been closed that shouldn't have. Just a wild guess at this point but it looks like thousands of mining claims have been closed without cause. That happened last year too on the same date.

Land Matters Mining Claim Maps are current as of November 20 so they have the most recent claims mapping available anywhere. The other paid claims maps providers were last updated November 4 so they won't have these changes. Diggins hasn't updated their claims in almost two years.

I suggest that anyone who is having these problems with the BLM claim status send their details and a request to correct their case file to the BLM state office where your claims are located. Send that letter registered return receipt or risk the BLM saying it didn't happen. Sending a copy to your representatives might be a good idea too. Unfortunately I think it's going to be up to individual claim owners to get the BLM to make this right.

Land Matters will be updating their claims maps again next week. (We do that twice a month) Be sure and check that update if your claims have been closed. If the BLM is actually trying to fix this problem at least some of those claims closed in error should be back on the map.

Heavy pans

Yup, I have the registered mail receipt here, I just keep them in case. It was listed as complete back in September, the register didn't show anything at all today and the binoculars didn't show any of our claims either, but only 1 isn't showing up on the map.

 

[et1955]

I just checked on my claims threw Land maters and the BLM site, no problems, all is well.

 

[Reed Lukens]

I called and talked to Mike at the Sac BLM, and he said it 's all good on his end and my claim was approved, re-registered and the check cashed on 9/6, so why it fell off the map was a new one for him, but it's all good and my stress level has gone back down to normal Thanks Barry

 

[Goldwasher]

I noticed the lack of owner info. Isnt that mandated to be accesable by the public?

Two claims by me closed but they didn't make payments or file SMW this year they finally showed up closed.

I located a new claim adjacent to my existing two. The third finally showed up with the new update.

The BLM link now has a disclaimer about using an "agency" system you have to accept to use now too.

 

[sprailroad]

Around the time I needed to file yearly paperwork for my placer claim, I went into the hospital for some things, after going home, bedridden for a couple of weeks, couple more before driving etc... deadline passed, forfeited the claim I guess, but you know, I'm OK with it that. Tired of Federal, State & local, and you just pointed out one more reason why. Great good luck for you fella's, really mean that.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Land Matters did update their Mining Claim Maps today.

I've received a lot of calls and emails from claim owners saying their claims were closed in error. Some State BLM offices have admitted there are errors and are in the process of fixing them.

If your claim was closed it may have been reopened. There were 1,791 new claims since the mass closures. Maybe your claim has been reopened and is one of the "new" claims? Here's a tip on how Land Matters makes that easier to find.

TIP: Land Matters Mining Claim maps all have a map display layer named "New Claims". This map layer is turned off when you first start the mining claim map. If you select the checkbox next to "New Claims" and click the reload map control all the claims that have been located since the last update will be highlighted in red. You can even uncheck the other claim layers and the only mining claims displayed will be the claims located in the most recent update.

Heavy Pans

 

[Mine Shaft]

I just checked mine updated 12/5/22 Thank you Clay for all the info.