20 acres per locator LAW

[Bodfish Mike]

From BLM "The maximum size is 20 acres per locator".


Can someone point me to the actual law about one single person locator for 20 acres.

Trying to figure out how an 80 acre claim can have just one locator.

I know I have asked this question before but looking for the actual law.

Cheers Mike

 

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[Clay Diggins]

It's right there in the 1872 General Mining Law Mike.

Section 10

all placer mining-claims hereafter located shall conform as near as practicable with the United States system of public land surveys and the rectangular subdivisions of such surveys, and no such location shall include more than twenty acres for each individual claimant

Land Matters Library Item

I'm of the opinion that everyone who intends to prospect the public lands should download, read and understand that law before they put boots on the ground.

As you can see here:
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title30-section35&num=0&edition=prelim
that law is still current and in force.

Once a mining claim has been perfected the 20 acre per locator limit no longer applies and one person can hold up to 160 acres per perfected placer claim.

Heavy Pans

 

[Bodfish Mike]

Clay you are the man thank you.

Next question -- is there a way to find out if a claim has been perfected ?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Clay you are the man thank you.

Next question -- is there a way to find out if a claim has been perfected ?

The mineral exploration information is private property. You could ask the claim owner but I doubt you would get a reliable response.

You could check the claim's Serial Register Page. Look for a challenge from the BLM on the number of claimants where the BLM eventually approved fewer locators than the 20 acre rule. That is a perfected claim.

Heavy Pans

 

[Goldwasher]

From BLM "The maximum size is 20 acres per locator".


Can someone point me to the actual law about one single person locator for 20 acres.

Trying to figure out how an 80 acre claim can have just one locator.

I know I have asked this question before but looking for the actual law.

Cheers Mike

Most of the time it is because someone bought a claim not knowing that it has a good chance of being caught in adjudication and challenged.