Claims and buying... what to look for how to find them?

[outwardjourney]

Okay, well after doing research on how to use the BLM LR2000 system, I have a couple of questions as I would like to go forward on a more advanced topic of claims. I know everyone talks about buying claims and yada yada.... I'd never buy a claim from someone on feebay or anything like that. This question is more geared towards doing the leg work and finding a claim myself.

HOWEVER.... I can find active claims on the BLM LR2000, and I have spotted closed claims as well. My question is, are 'closed' claims closed for reasons? I mean the BLM does not seem to give information as to why the claim was closed in the first place. Is it because they're abandoned? Fees not paid? I would like to check out some of these close claims and see if there is any goodies to be found on one sometime. And speaking of goodies, let's say there are goodies. How does one go about reclaiming the claim (pun intended)?

 

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[Clay Diggins]

I have to ask you guys over in AZ . Are you actually getting grounds worthy of claiming and are you producing any thing that is sizable gold in paying amounts
is anyone getting big oz strikes off their claims lately ? would like to see some pics of AZ gold n opperations.

just wondering all this talk of claims I may be missing something here.
GT............

There are quite a few paying operations I'm familiar with gold tramp. Besides at least 15 good sized placer ops there are 13 fully permitted and operational small hardrock gold mines in Arizona.

Rich Hill has one operational hardrock mine that does very well. Lot's of big placer operations up there have been mining for several years. There are three for hire finish processors within 100 miles of Rich Hill that stay booked up.

I know of a few claims where the locators are mining pounds of placer gold per day. Small digs with 3 gram/yard and up are common.

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Great to hear how the dream is alive in AZ, thx for sharing!

 

[outwardjourney]

Okay, I see where there is obvious confusion and differences in opinion or processes. IS there currently a process that has worked in the past? I wouldn't go stake a claim without checking the property. However, I used the BLM site to locate active/closed claims to see what areas were, at least in theory, possibly producing gold. This gives me a starting point to either staking a claim or visiting the area to prospect.

My concern is that most of these areas are well outside of my state (Texas) and my research will point me in a direction. I see that there are not many claims popping up on the BLM site for the eastern states. It looks as though the BLM is focused more on the west/north west states. Absolutely nothing for Texas really either. Makes me wonder who's dropping the ball, or if there is even a county level option for filing claims.

In Texas, what isn't owned by the federal government, is state owned lands. Texas is strict on this. We even have our own antiquities code outside of the federal antiquities code.... I can only imagine the hassle for claims.

But anyway, Clay, do you have some websites I can check out that have this filing process information on it?

 

[gold tramp]

There are quite a few paying operations I'm familiar with gold tramp. Besides at least 15 good sized placer ops there are 13 fully permitted and operational small hardrock gold mines in Arizona.

Rich Hill has one operational hardrock mine that does very well. Lot's of big placer operations up there have been mining for several years. There are three for hire finish processors within 100 miles of Rich Hill that stay booked up.

I know of a few claims where the locators are mining pounds of placer gold per day. Small digs with 3 gram/yard and up are common.

better keep that pounds of gold on the hush youll start a gold rush to AZ !

 

[Clay Diggins]

Okay, I see where there is obvious confusion and differences in opinion or processes. IS there currently a process that has worked in the past? I wouldn't go stake a claim without checking the property. However, I used the BLM site to locate active/closed claims to see what areas were, at least in theory, possibly producing gold. This gives me a starting point to either staking a claim or visiting the area to prospect.

My concern is that most of these areas are well outside of my state (Texas) and my research will point me in a direction. I see that there are not many claims popping up on the BLM site for the eastern states. It looks as though the BLM is focused more on the west/north west states. Absolutely nothing for Texas really either. Makes me wonder who's dropping the ball, or if there is even a county level option for filing claims.

In Texas, what isn't owned by the federal government, is state owned lands. Texas is strict on this. We even have our own antiquities code outside of the federal antiquities code.... I can only imagine the hassle for claims.

But anyway, Clay, do you have some websites I can check out that have this filing process information on it?

Only public lands can be claimed outwardjourney. Texas has no public lands so no claims are possible.

Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida are the only Eastern States that have claimable public land. The State of North Dakota and the States west of Texas (except Hawaii) all have claimable public lands.

Looking for open or closed claims will not tell you where gold can be found. Most claims were located for minerals other than gold. The claim could just as easily be made for asbestos or perlite. There is no way to tell whether someone located a claim for gold, mica, manganese, copper, flourite or to impress their girlfriend.

Before you make a claim you must first - discover a valuable locatable mineral, define the deposit on the ground, put up location stakes and a monument on the claim that describes the claim. Then you can proceed to make your claim public at the county recorder's office in the county where the claim is located. You will also need to do an informational filing with the BLM.

Making claims is done after prospecting and requires actual boots on the ground. Armchair "paper" claims are illegal and fraudulent. There is no website that explains the entire "filing process" but there are plenty of websites that give small parts of the whole. A good place to get an overview is to look at Location requirements for the State where you wish to prospect. Here is a link to the Arizona Location laws. Each State is different these only apply to Arizona.

I will be posting a series of articles soon to explain the whole process from prospecting to discovery, claiming to mining. I'm sure others here will lead you to government websites for bits of information but as of now there is no single cohesive explanation of the process. I will explain the process as a whole but it's going to take some time for me to finish writing the articles. Hang in there and I'll make everything as clear as possible as soon as I can.

 

[Clay Diggins]

better keep that pounds of gold on the hush youll start a gold rush to AZ !

The rush is already here gold tramp.

 

[SLNugget]

There is no way to tell whether someone located a claim to impress their girlfriend.

What better reason could there possibly be ;-)

Thanks for sharing your insight Clay Diggins!

 

[B H Prospector]

No drama clay, but you seem hell bent on convincing everyone that there are no legal forms to file that are valid and I disagree as I have done them with great success. I will also say I don't wait until due dates to file. I also never said that the BLM or the county will take any legal responsability for anything. Just that the county recording is the only legtal proof of ownership. You say the small minners waivier certificate is a legal form That is a BLM form. What makes it valid but not the maintenance fee form or the annual assessment of work certification forms or the intent to hold form or the notice of location form? If this Anderson fellow lost his claim he obviously did something incorrect and you decided to use it as a reason to claim all forms but one are invalid which in itself makes no sence since it is a BLM form.
Sorry Clay but I am begining to question your motive here. You say no forms or deadlines valid save for one yet you offer no alternatives. Folks come here for answers and encouragement. You offer neither except wait for my report. No one wants to wait for a report they expect answers soon after they post.
This will be my last post on the subject. I know what is true as I have been doing this on two claims for years. I have cross filed by accident and have been crossfiled on and outcomes have been legal and correct. Good Luck to you and may you always find gold in your pan.

BH Prospector

 

[TerryC]

I have to ask you guys over in AZ . Are you actually getting grounds worthy of claiming and are you producing any thing that is sizable gold in paying amounts
is anyone getting big oz strikes off their claims lately ? would like to see some pics of AZ gold n opperations.

just wondering all this talk of claims I may be missing something here.
GT............

Yes, there are still areas around Rich Hill that can be claimed. Are they worth it? Yes. TTC

 

[chupacabra]

Not sure this was mentioned yet .....LR 2000 also has plat plans that show what each area is classified as,( private property, closed to mineral extraction, etc etc, ) so learn how to read them but first find them

 

[Clay Diggins]

Clay, you really should do some seminars, or webinars. I don't think you'd have a problem filling up the place, you could be the Tony Robbins of Mining,LOL! I'm pretty think headed so I'd probably have to attend twice.

OK I give up fowledup. Who the heck is Tony Robbins?

Is this something I should be worried about? You know - like a disease or a Snowden moment?

Keep in mind that I haven't watched television in years.

 

[KevinInColorado]

OK I give up fowledup. Who the heck is Tony Robbins? Is this something I should be worried about? You know - like a disease or a Snowden moment? Keep in mind that I haven't watched television in years.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Robbins
Anthony "Tony" Robbins (born February 29, 1960) is an American life coach, self- help author and motivational speaker. He became well known through his ...
‎Neuro-linguistic programming - ‎Jim Rohn - ‎Unlimited Power - ‎Firewalking

 

[Clay Diggins]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Robbins
Anthony "Tony" Robbins (born February 29, 1960) is an American life coach, self- help author and motivational speaker. He became well known through his ...
‎Neuro-linguistic programming - ‎Jim Rohn - ‎Unlimited Power - ‎Firewalking

Ouch! I was afraid it was something like that.
No Firewalking. Tried it once at a party - I don't drink anymore.

Unlimited power? Like a single jack and a 44 Mag? Sure!

Neuro - ling... what? Uh... I've always felt like the women should enjoy themselves when I'm with them?

I'm glad I don't watch television.

 

[fowledup]

AW! I wasn't expecting that. I thought my post had been long forgotten, I can't stop laughing. It was all good fun. What I was referring to was in his glory day the mere mention of his name would fill an auditorium, he developed quite the following from his "teachings", still can't stop laughing. Ok back to serious buisness. Few questions for you, claim related so I hope it's not too much of a thread hijack. Have you ever come across the the section numbers not matching the lats and longs on google earth. Is there a way to have section numbers turned on in google earth. On the LR2000 if you only enter lats and longs, how big of an area will the report list. Everything within that particular section?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Ok back to serious buisness. Few questions for you, claim related so I hope it's not too much of a thread hijack. Have you ever come across the the section numbers not matching the lats and longs on google earth. Is there a way to have section numbers turned on in google earth.

I don't use Google Earth much but you really can't expect Google Earth to provide that kind of accuracy.

From Google:

Google makes no claims as to the accuracy of the coordinates in Google
Earth. These are provided for entertainment only and should not be
used for any navigational or other purpose requiring any accuracy
whatsoever. Our imagery varies from sub-meter resolution in major
cities to 15 meter resolution for most of the earth's surface, with a
global base resolution of 1KM. Since our database is constantly being
updated, we cannot state a specific resolution for any geographic
region.

There is the issue of Google Earth accuracy and the additional problem of the potential accuracy of your source for the Section data. Both could be off by 1/4 mile and you wouldn't know which it is (or both). Throw in the additional problem of unsurveyed sections and you find yourself in an internet mapping crapshoot. More than 1/3 of California has never been surveyed for the Public Land Survey System so any section information has been made up by a third party.

Google Earth itself doesn't have any section number ability but you can get KMZ files from various sources that will display sections in Google Earth.

On the LR2000 if you only enter lats and longs, how big of an area will the report list. Everything within that particular section?

Maybe you mean the Geocommunicator? The LR2000 doesn't have any ability to give results by lat/long. The Geocommunicator and LR2000 are separate and unrelated systems. The Geocommunicator is an internet mapping site and the LR2000 is a database. The LR2000 doesn't have any maps and the Geocommunicator doesn't have any claims.

If you know the Township, Range and Section the LR2000 will return all of the claims in your selected area(s).

You might want to check out our three part graphic LR2000 tutorial Demystifying the LR2000, it should help you find the information you are looking for. You can always PM me if you want information on a specific area and you want to keep it private.

Hope that helps?

Heavy Pans

 

[PaulieNoNuggets]

AW! I wasn't expecting that. I thought my post had been long forgotten, I can't stop laughing. It was all good fun. What I was referring to was in his glory day the mere mention of his name would fill an auditorium, he developed quite the following from his "teachings", still can't stop laughing. Ok back to serious buisness. Few questions for you, claim related so I hope it's not too much of a thread hijack. Have you ever come across the the section numbers not matching the lats and longs on google earth. Is there a way to have section numbers turned on in google earth. On the LR2000 if you only enter lats and longs, how big of an area will the report list. Everything within that particular section?

Earth Survey Plugin Reference

This is what I've been using to look up township/section/quadrant. From what I've seen so far it seems to match up with BLM topographic maps, though I only have Placerville and Truckee California maps to compare against. Hope this helps - I'm guessing this is what you were looking for in regard to 'sections'.

My apologies if it doesn't work where you are - I've only used it to look up Northern and Central California.

When you open the map, look for a button on the left says 'Display Township/Range'.