Wilderness protection act and prospecting, questions and comments....

[Ragnor]

Well, I have been doing my winter research. I was very excited to find some relatively large old mining areas which when I looked them up on LR2000 had surprisingly few claims. Then doing further research on old mining districts I stumbled upon the wilderness protection act. It appears that every large gold deposit in western Washington falls within a nation park, a wildlife refuge or a wilderness area. So what the hell is a wilderness area? I did some research on that and found that congress passed a sneaky law which does in fact circumvent the national forest establishment act of 1897. Although not wholly in the first round. It seams that some amendments were added later to kind of seal the deal. These later amendments really seam to be in full violation. I have not found them yet. I'm still working on it. But it would appear that even hand tools and metal detectors are forbidden. Though I have not yet found that wording. What I have found is this.

****
(1)
Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to be in interference with the purpose for which national forests are established as
set forth in the Act of June 4, 1897

Special provision (2)

Nothing in this Act shall prevent within national forest wilderness areas any activity,including prospecting, for the purpose of gathering information about mineral or other resources, if such activity is carried on in a manner compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment.

restoration as near as practicable of the surface of the land disturbed in performing
prospecting, location

Mining locations lying within the boundaries of said wilderness areas shall be held and used solely for mining or processing
operations and uses reasonably incident thereto; and hereafter, subject to valid existing rights.

anuary 1, 1984, the
minerals in lands designated by this Act as wilderness areas are withdrawn from all forms of
appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral
leasing and all amendments thereto.

*******

Now having read that the National Forest establishment Act specifically designates mineral resources extraction as the primary use of National Forests. So this Wilderness act is a direct violation of that, effectively making it null and void.

I intend to make petition on this matter to the highest authorities. I don't like being cheated out of My Land, It is obvious that one of the primary purposes of entering the wilderness from the beginning was the search for mineral resources and I would think it only natural that recreational prospecting with hand tools should be allowed within these areas and it is according to the National Forest establishment act.

If anyone else would care to contribute they're thoughts and knowledge on this matter it would be appreciated.

 

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[N-Lionberger]

As far as I always understood you are allowed to prospect in a wilderness area you just cannot file a claim or use anything motorized, motorized including things like bicycles. I have seen where there are pieces of private property surrounded by wilderness land where the owners have the right to drive over the wilderness area to access their property but this was only if the road was pre existing the wilderness, I used to work at a summer camp where that was the case, apart from those rare cases you may never see a motorized vehicle except an occasional helicopter. a lot of wilderness areas are popular hiking and horseback riding spots, doing a little bushwacking away from well established trails can find you practically alone where you could swing your detector or dig a hole to china and no one would be the wiser. Panning and sluicing is ok. I'm not sure why you couldn't use a metal detector. I kinda like the wilderness areas for the most part you can prospect just about anywhere without fear of claim jumping, pre existing claims do occur in the wilderness but they are kind of rare.

 

[Ragnor]

Well, I seam to have jumped to conclusions as I am unfortunately want to do. I have spent several more hours reading documents and chasing down every thread i can find on the sites of the agencies concerned and found nothing prohibiting light prospecting. The first couple of rules/laws That I found seam to have only been directly applicable to specific wilderness areas and not Wilderness areas in general. Go figure the very first search results lead you to the site telling you not to do it. Anyway, I am much more well versed now. It would seam perhaps I will actually get my opportunity to test my prospecting skills after all. I lost sleep over it, thinking I had been cut off at the pass......

 

[Goldfleks]

Get your mountain man on!

 

[N-Lionberger]

There is somthing about the wilderness area, a vast chunk of land open to panning and pocket hunting that is out of reach for everyone except those that are fit enough and crazy with the fever to traipse over mountains LOL.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Right. Unclaimable but you are good to go with pans, shovel and sluice.

 

[davin]

i to was under the impression that all wilderness was completely out as far as prospecting. if it is legal with pan, shovel and sluice that is a
big eye opener for me. thanks much.
davin

 

[winners58]

buy a mule.
.

 

[russau]

Yep ! Mules don't talk back!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Not all wilderness areas are off-limits to staking claims, either. I know a big mining company just got claims approved in the Frank Church wilderness in central Idaho, northwest of Challis. I don't remember the details as far as mineral, but it was in the news here the last couple of years.
Jim

 

[rodoconnor]

Yep ! Mules don't talk back!

But some of those guys will wait all day for the chance to kick your head off! Speaking from first hand expirience LOL

 

[rodoconnor]

Jim, Are your about tired of this weather ? Ready to hustle up a couple of diamonds?

 

[Jim in Idaho]

LOL...Rod, I was tired of this weather a month ago..Haha. 'bout had a gutfull! Thank God, I was able to go to Nevada in late January, for a couple of weeks, and I'm heading back for a few more days, soon. My earlier trip wasn't all that great as they've had a hard winter, too. I was south of Vegas about 50 miles, but still got snowed-on, and it did a lot of raining, too. I spent half the trip cooped up in the camper. Glad I had lots of books in the book box. I read all four of the "Divergent" series...good story!! Didn't find any diamonds, or indicator minerals, but brought back some nice mineral specimens. Happened to find a Victor #3 leghold trap out in the sticks, too....pretty neat find. Hope you're bearing up OK, Rod. Spring's coming...just slowly.
In keeping with the thread subject, here's a few photos of the wilderness area I was prospecting.


Jim

 

[Ragnor]

There is somthing about the wilderness area, a vast chunk of land open to panning and pocket hunting that is out of reach for everyone except those that are fit enough and crazy with the fever to traipse over mountains LOL.

Yeah, I'm betting not too many folks have walked the miles and miles of ridiculous terrain to metal detect the placer I spotted on top of a mountain, lol! I'm just the guy for the job, !