Prospectors Research Tools

Clay Diggins

Clay Diggins

Silver Member
Nov 14, 2010
4,958
14,504
The Great Southwest
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Prospector's Research Tools

I haven't been around much this summer and with the desert prospecting season just starting it's a good time to show off what I did this long hot summer. I have been working with a few friends on a new non-profit organization to give you a single place for all your land research.

The result is MyLandMatters.Org. This is the gateway to your land information repository. Maps, books, tutorials, community resources and quality, easy-to-access information about the land around you.

No ads, No memberships, No log-in required. :thumbsup:

This past spring while sitting around with some friends we came to the conclusion that most of the important and useful things that we want to know about the land around us was difficult to locate and tough to understand. Despite the many sources of information there was no single place to find the information available.

We decided we could do something about that. We agreed to put our time and energy into creating a single place that anyone could find the answers to questions about the land.

It's a big project. It has taken a lot of work, learning and resources to get things started. But after six months of long days, and more than a few nights, the Land Matters repository is ready for you to use.

Land Matters is all about the land. You can find Land Status Maps, Active Mining Claims Maps (with live direct links into the current LR2000 claims database), A great collection of mining books, Land Laws, Geology books and maps, Forest Travel Plans and a whole lot more.

Land Matters is for land users. Our collections are guided by community input. That's you. Let us know what kind of material you would like to find in our Library or a particular map you would like to see. Help us build Land Matters to best serve the community.

We've already got a lot of things that prospectors have been asking for - the claims maps alone were almost universally requested. Land Matters isn't just for prospectors and miners. But you can help prioritize our efforts and drive the content of Land Matters. Prospectors now have a unique opportunity to help guide and build an information resource designed by prospectors and for prospectors.

We are just getting started filling the Library but there will be hundreds of books, maps and items added in the next few weeks. We've even got a Newsletter so you can get regular updates about new additions to the Land Matters repository.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Here are a few good places to start:

Tutorials - the current focus is on understanding Land Status.
Maps - We all like maps and we've got some you will love.
Library - search for something.

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Barry & Leigh
 

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Good suggestion Maitland! :thumbsup:
I'll look into the possibilities there.

That South Dakota claims map has been up for 48 hours and I think you are the only one who noticed! Are there other prospectors in South Dakota on the forum? We've received several requests for the South Dakota claims maps but only one request came from TNet.

Heavy Pans
 

Cool, thanks for looking into the possibility of water rights. The reason it's somewhat of importance to me is because myself and a few other hobbyist prospectors used to sluice and pan in an area that was part county and part state right-of-way land (in other words, non-claimable). We started getting told to leave/threatened by a large mining company in the area a few years ago who asserts they own the water rights for the creek located in the said right-of-way land, however, I've never been able to find documented proof of their ownership of the water rights. They told one guy the panning/sluicing interferes with their water quality monitoring system.

Yes, I've been happily using the SD maps since the night they were released! Leigh at Land Matters told me in a message when to expect the map to be available. Yeah, there are a few other folks from South Dakota on here, but I am not sure if they have heard of or are even aware of Land Matters at this point.
 

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I have to agree that the water rights information is a great idea. I'm sure that Clay will remember that area that Robi and I were going to claim before we split up. It had a pond on it that was really a catch basin for run off from the monsoons. I had been wondering if we could use that water since it was on the claim area but never checked into it since we split up.

Water rights have been the cause of more than one battle here in the west and I for one don't want to have to fight any more battles over them.
 

New "Cities" mapping!

We've got a bunch of new maps announcements coming up tonight but I wanted to point out the new "Cities" layer that is on all the Land Matters Maps.

It's hard to find good data for cities and places. The governemt data and the census data is just about worthless. At present the best information on cities and places is owned by Google but they won't let anyone use it - including their own maps. It's all about advertising revenue and big money. Land Matters doesn't advertise and barely has enough money to keep the servers running much less millions of dollars a year to put cities and places on the map. :laughing7:

We finally put together our own cities and places database. We've now got more than 2 million locations mapped in the U.S. alone! :thumbsup:

You might have noticed little green dots on the maps now and a lot more small places on the information returns. The populations and the elevations of each of those 2 million places are new too.

So why should you care? Well with all this new information you can get where you want to go on the map a lot quicker. Remember the binocular search trick I showed you in Post #149 on this thread? You can use that same sort of search to zoom right to anywhere you want to go on the map. It doesn't have to be a City or even a town - we've got all sorts of places on the map.

Here's an example:

Land Matters is in Morristown, Arizona. Never heard of it? That's because it's just a post office and an run down train depot - no town. Still you can find it on any Land matters map.

This time select the "Cities" layer from the dropdown "Spatial Datas" menu at the top of the binocular "Query Editor".

Now copy and paste this in the "Generated Query" box at the bottom of the window-

[Name] ILIKE '%morristown%'

Now click the "Apply" button.

See all those Morristowns? The one in Arizona is the one you want. Click the magnifying glass to the left of the name and the map will automagically zoom right to Morristown!

Try that with some other places you are interested in. Ever wonder where Sassafrass Hills, Georgia is? Just change your Cities search to:

[Name] ILIKE '%Sassafrass Hills%'

Nice looking area. Turn on the Aerial Photo base layer and enjoy the lake country.

Have fun. There are some really cool places in this world and now most of them can be found on any Land Matters map. :thumbsup:

Lesson over - now on to the new maps...

Heavy Pans
 

Another Tennessee Geology update!

While were on a geology roll lets get some study materials for the gold and gem folks in the South.

Starting out with:

The Tennessee Geology Map is just updated today and now has the much anticipated and requested Rock Sample Geochemistry layer. :thumbsup:

Heavy Pans
 

North Carolina AND South Carolina Geology updates!

Both North Carolina and South Carolina have had their Geology maps updated with new Faults Layers AND new Rock Sample Geochemistry layer. :thumbsup:

I'm guessing Burnt Bear and a few others are going to be doing a lot of studying this holiday season. :laughing7:

Heavy Pans
 

New Georgia Geology map updates!

To round out the offerings for our Southern friends this evening we've got a new Faults Layer as well as a Dikes Layer added to the Georgia Geology Map.

This should help explain why and where those fabulous Georgia gold deposits come from. :icon_scratch:

This southern group of states all produce good gold and some of the finest gems in the world. I'm hoping these new map layers will lead our southern mining brothers to new gems and gold in the New Year. :thumbsup:

Happy Holidays!

and...

Heavy Pans

p.s more to come - we aren't done yet! :laughing7:
 

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Wyoming Claims Map!

I bet you thought I was kidding. It IS the season for giving. :heart:

I know those folks up in Wyoming are freezing their X%!ses off just waiting for the next thaw to get out there and get some of that gold waiting for them.

Might as well spend the Holiday studying up on what good gold ground is available. Land Matters claim maps are a good place to get started.

Enjoy the new Wyoming Mining Claims Map. Look for the land status and get ready for the staking season. :thumbsup:

Heavy Pans
 

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Thank you! For all the great additions! Now, I'll have to stay up all night looking at the Georgia Geology Maps! :thumbsup:



I just read what I wrote and did not mean to make it sound like that! :laughing7: I meant it was exciting! Not a burden!:laughing7:
 

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Wyoming Geology Map!

To round out the evening what could be better than a Wyoming geology map to go with that new Wyoming claims map?

The Wyoming Geology Map has a good Geology Layer as well as a Faults Layer and a Dikes Layer.

As with all the State Geology maps more and more detail and features will be added on request and as time permits.

Land Matters was created to serve the people who use the land so let us know what you would find useful to you. Most of what is available on Land Matters now is user requested and we hope to continue to build on that legacy. Contact Land Matters and let us know what you want. :thumbsup:

That's all for tonight but you can look forward to new maps tomorrow and throughout this Holiday season.

Heavy Pans
 

WOW!!! Clay you trying to make up with Santa here or something? Or maybe just put him out of business? There are going to be a lot of boys and girls on T-Net with big smiles when they see these updates!

I had noticed some of the green markers you mentioned a couple of days ago as they appeared as if by magic in areas that I've been researching. Places like Cedar and Six Mile Crossing. Although the towns no longer exist, I think it would be great fun to go check out the areas. Could be some interesting detecting in areas like that. I've also bee thinking of trying to locate some of the old mill sites in the area. If I can find some tailing piles it just might be educational into what kind of deposits they were working. I don't expect to find any old mills but if I did that would be very cool too.

I can see that you're on-line as I type. Log out, relax and spend some time with that sweet lady that's kind enough to put up with you! Hugs to Ruby!
 

I'm glad you like it, I hope it's giving you some hints where there is some gold you haven't dredged yet! :laughing7:

I'll have more geology for you this weekend okbasspro. Anybody who works as hard as you do for gold deserves all the breaks he can get. :thumbsup:

Heavy Pans
 

New Mexico Mining Claims Map!

New Mexico is one of our favorite states. Great people, great food and a long mining history. Look through the location dates on some of the old mining areas and you will see a lot of little claims made 60 - 100 years ago. Families in New Mexico find a good deposit and work it for generations. It becomes the bank for weddings, babies, college, and old age. A little sweat and hard work and the bill is paid. :laughing7:

Lots of good gold and gems to find in New Mexico. Beautiful country. Check it out, you won't be sorry.

New Mexico Claims Map at Land Matters. :thumbsup:

More coming all weekend.

Heavy Pans
 

Darn! I must be getting old. I forgot to add the New Mexico claims numbers.

New Mexico has:

9,447 Lode Claims
1,298 Placer Claims
...121 Millsites
.......7 Tunnel sites

10,873 Total claims :thumbsup:

Ruby says it's time for my old man nap. :laughing7:

Heavy Pans
 

I briefly checked out the South Dakota Geology map (using my phone, I will check it out more in-depth on my computer later) and it looks like I'm going to have some reading-up to do so I understand all of the geological lingo on there! I've been having some problems when trying to generate BLM reports on claims, it starts showing "Loading" then brings it to a new page on BLM.gov and that all that does is display "Webpage not available", not sure if it's a problem with the BLM's servers or what. I do on occasion get it to work and display the claim info, but 80% of the time so far since I started using Land Matter's claims maps I've had this problem. I was also wondering, is there any chance that closed lode and placer claims could someday be an overlay option on the maps? Obviously it's important to know where all of the active claims are at, but in the past I've often found myself using LR2000 to display where claims were previously active, it sometimes helps when you're researching a certain area on a map.
 

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