Prospectors Research Tools

[Clay Diggins]

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.

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.

Heavy Pans
Barry & Leigh

 

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[goldenIrishman]

Well.... I'm not about to hijack this thread to get into it with you Chslbrns. It's a well known fact that you love a good argument and will fight a point to death even when you've been proven wrong. If you want to argue, either PM me or start another thread for it. This thread is NOT the place for it. PERIOD!

We now return you to updates for land matters. We're sorry for any inconvenience.....

 

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[chlsbrns]

Well.... I'm not about to hijack this thread to get into it with you Chslbrns. It's a well known fact that you love a good argument and will fight a point to death even when you've been proven wrong. If you want to argue, either PM me or start another thread for it. This thread is NOT the place for it. PERIOD!

We now return you to updates for land matters. We're sorry for any inconvenience.....

I would love to know when you or anyone of yourlandmatters crew ever proved me wrong. I've proved you all wrong so many times but none of you have ever proved me wrong!

I would also like to know what makes you think that you can tell me what to do?

We can now return to landmatters updates! What updates? Alexa.com updates on traffic stats?

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Why does this fu@@er like to stir ****?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Mining Clams Maps updated to March 15, 2016

The new Mining Claim Maps were put up on the Land Matters site yesterday. They are a little late this cycle due to some illness in the family. It's difficult to make those updates across the country from the Land Matters office but we managed anyway.

Even though they are a few hours late this time they are still the most up to date claims maps available at any price.

Land Matters is now in the top 1% of internet sites in the United States and in the top 2% of internet sites worldwide. I'm guessing our users already know that - the Land Matters database and mapping engine serve upwards of 2,000 maps an hour.

Heavy Pans

 

[Alex Burke]

Cool thank you and sorry about the family health problems. I love the Ca journal by W.B. Clark you have in your library from 1969/70, that journal has the best pictures of old Ca mining out of the all papers I've ever read and is a really fun, interesting read. http://www.mylandmatters.org/Library/Mining/MiningHistory.html hopefully this link works ok as I pasted from my phone you will probably have to search Ca in the box and it should pop up.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Cool thank you and sorry about the family health problems. I love the Ca journal by W.B. Clark you have in your library from 1969/70, that journal has the best pictures of old Ca mining out of the all papers I've ever read and is a really fun, interesting read. Mining Library - Mining History hopefully this link works ok as I pasted from my phone you will probably have to search Ca in the box and it should pop up.

You are welcome Alex!

The library has a lot of really cool stuff in it. Last count I think there were more than a quarter million maps, books, documents and videos available there. We have been working on a more useful search engine but the family stuff has required a lot of travel this month.

Another thing we are working on is a map that will let you look up the patent your home, work or school sits on. The vast majority of the private land in the lower 48 was at one time patented. Looking up the patent will let you see what rights (minerals, water, roads etc.) were put into private ownership when the land was granted. That could be important. In my experience not even one in a hundred homeowners know if they have mineral or water rights.

A bigger project I've been working on for a few years is a real map of the western National Forests and eastern Purchase Units. Once the actual ownership and boundaries are shown for the first time there are going to be some eye opening revelations about the actual extent of the forests in the US. Suffice it to say it's not what you have been led to believe, particularly east of the Rockies. That project is nearly finished but the Land Matters servers are going to have to grow some drive space before we can put that up for public use.

Heavy Pans

 

[Jeff95531]

That is some exciting stuff Barry and sure am looking forward to it...as well as getting more access to LM for myself. Right now it's not the access but the time as I too have had a family crisis this year. Here's to happier and lighter days ahead buddy.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Mining Clams Maps updated to April 1, 2016

As they do twice each month Land Matters has updated their free Mining Claims Maps with the latest data from the BLM.

This half month has brought some interesting changes. California has just begun to process this filing year claims so we are starting to see a lot of claim areas opening up there. I'll give more details soon. In the meantime go check out your favorite area - you might just find a new area to explore!

Heavy Pans

 

[arizau]

Has anyone besides me noticed that some/all(?) of the aerial view maps on MLM are views from several or many(?) years ago? I don't know if that was done by design but it is a good thing since, over the years, there have been numerous roads closed by the Feds and at least partially disguised from view from still open roads so if you don't have any idea they are there you are not likely to see them. I often look for traces of old closed access roads while driving around and some, when hiked (and they are easier to hike than bushwhacking), lead to old mining sites or give easy access for prospecting. I noticed this while researching an area by scrolling around on the map in an area I am familiar with and noticed an old mine shed that was torn down years ago.

Add the access coordinates to your GPS and happy hunting.

 

[goldenIrishman]

As they do twice each month Land Matters has updated their free Mining Claims Maps with the latest data from the BLM.

This half month has brought some interesting changes. California has just begun to process this filing year claims so we are starting to see a lot of claim areas opening up there. I'll give more details soon. In the meantime go check out your favorite area - you might just find a new area to explore!

Heavy Pans

Yup! Looks like a lot of areas within my hunting range have opened up. Guess the BLM is going to miss all those funds since opened up again.

Has anyone besides me noticed that some/all(?) of the aerial view maps on MLM are views from several or many(?) years ago? I don't know if that was done by design but it is a good thing since, over the years, there have been numerous roads closed by the Feds and at least partially disguised from view from still open roads so if you don't have any idea they are there you are not likely to see them. I often look for traces of old closed access roads while driving around and some, when hiked (and they are easier to hike than bushwhacking), lead to old mining sites or give easy access for prospecting. I noticed this while researching an area by scrolling around on the map in an area I am familiar with and noticed an old mine shed that was torn down years ago.

Add the access coordinates to your GPS and happy hunting.

That's part of Clays' plan. I believe the topo maps layer are from 1976 or before so they show many of the details (like roads and mines) that the USGS has omitted from the newer maps. Having the aerial shots set up the same way makes it easier to see where the old two track roads and trails were so they can be found again. Google Earth isn't any better. I had been living in Georgia for several years and if you zoomed in to my old place in California you could still see my truck in the driveway.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Mining Clams Maps updated to April 15, 2016

As we do twice each month the Land Matters Mining Claims Maps have been updated to April 15, 2016.

These are the most up to date mining claims maps available to the public at any price. Other maps may have similar claims information but the Land Matters Maps include critical up to date information on land management and status as well as the only modern accurate Public Land Survey information available anywhere. You won't find more accurate or current mapping system anywhere else.

The latest Land Matters Claims Advantage Reports are going out to members as I type. There are several interesting new developments this report period including a claim active in Colorado since 1888 being closed. Somebody held on to that claim for 128 years! I'm guessing there might be some good minerals there?

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Claim Maps Update

I see that a lot of people are using the Land Matters Mining Claims Maps this morning. I'm guessing the nearly 6,000 maps an hour we are serving are mostly about people looking for the latest claims information. Hey you can't beat free can you?

The BLM doesn't usually provide the bi monthly data extracts on the weekends so when the 1st or the 15th fall on a weekend or holiday we don't get the information until well into the first full government workday.

The twice monthly BLM custom data extracts have just this minute become available for download on the BLM main servers. It takes several hours to download the full 1.2 Gb involved and then it takes two of us about 10 hours to convert the data and extract the good parts. The update should be available on the maps later tonight or in the morning depending on how many cats escape today.

I'll post a notice here when they are available.

Heavy Pans

 

[mofugly13]

Clay, Land Matters is such a great resource, I can't thank you enough. When downloading an MTP from the GLO website, we have the option of JP2 or PDF. When downloading an MTP from Land Matters, it seems the default format is JP2. Is there a way to download the MTP in .pdf from Land Matters?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Clay, Land Matters is such a great resource, I can't thank you enough. When downloading an MTP from the GLO website, we have the option of JP2 or PDF. When downloading an MTP from Land Matters, it seems the default format is JP2. Is there a way to download the MTP in .pdf from Land Matters?

You are welcome mofug. It's nice to hear when somebody finds Land Matters useful. We know it's popular but we rarely hear from our millions of users. Thanks for your input and suggestions.

The MTP (Master Title Plat) image format varies with where you are in the country. Some States are still hosting their own MTPs. The GLO (General Land Office) hosts the MTPs for several but not all of the western States. The States of Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Wyoming all have their own servers and different systems for MTP downloads.

Land Matters is actually aggregating information from those 5 States as well as the GLO information. A good part of the Land Matters mission is to provide scattered information in one central place. We try to make the differences between data sources invisible to the user but each of those 6 systems produce slightly different results. For the end user the only difference they see is the image format provided. We control all the other variables behind the scenes with our spatial database but the final result is up to the agency providing the information.

Here's the breakdown on which States provide what MTP image format:

Nevada - PDF
Oregon - PDF or Jpeg depending on which Township
Washington - PDF or Jpeg depending on which Township
Wyoming - PDF
GLO - JP2 (Jpeg 2000)

That's the mix you will find on Land Matters.

The GLO has an additional feature on their webpage to convert the existing JP2 to a PDF for you to download but they don't offer a direct download of a PDF file - you have to choose to run the converter on the individual JP2 image file. Those PDF files are not saved for long after you download them.

Land Matters can not give you a link to download a file that doesn't exist yet so we can only offer a link to the JP2 file that does exist on the GLO server. Why the government continues to restrict their data to odd or proprietary formats is a discussion for another time but their choices severely restrict what Land Matters can offer their users. In theory we could raise a bunch of money, spend months converting all the MTPs to PDFs and offer them direct from our own servers in your preferred PDF format but by the time we finished there would be new updated MTPs to start the whole process over again.

There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes at Land Matters to make all of this as easy as possible for users but the government will always ultimately control the quality and format type for information that changes over time. The Master Title Plats change every time there is a change in land status. To bring you the most up to date information possible we have to point you to the most current file and that file is in JP2 format. For now at least we are stuck offering what they will give us.

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

Mining Clams Maps updated to May 1, 2016

The Land Matters Mining Claims Maps have been updated with the latest information from the BLM again.

This month we ran into a new error in the files. In California and Idaho some of the Claim cases now have some crazy dates associated with them. Seems the BLM now has claims actions scheduled for the third millennium. We are seeing dates nearly a thousand years in the future.

You won't see these errors unless you open the Serial Register page but if you spot one of these enjoy a good chuckle on the BLM. I'm sure these will eventually get fixed - maybe even before we get a thousand years in the future.

Heavy Pans

 

[goldenIrishman]

Oh come on Clay!!! You know the governments attitude.... "It will fix itself in time"

 

[chris204]

This is chris from oc ca. Yes, thanks jeff for showing me that sight i have been on it almost every day looking for a place to mine here in oc i want to try my luck near holcome vally or some where around here. Do you know anyone i could get together with down here in my neck of the woods untill i make out to az.

 

[HardHatMatt]

Can anyone help direct me toward the type of map (preferably available online) that would provide the greatest level of detail with regard to identifying and naming rivers, creeks, small streams, gulches, etc. I'm specifically interested in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado. Thank you in advance for any information you all might be able to provide!

 

[Clay Diggins]

Can anyone help direct me toward the type of map (preferably available online) that would provide the greatest level of detail with regard to identifying and naming rivers, creeks, small streams, gulches, etc. I'm specifically interested in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado. Thank you in advance for any information you all might be able to provide!

Turn on the Topo base layer on the Land Matters Maps. It's all there with better detail the more you zoom in.

Heavy Pans

 

[rodoconnor]

This is chris from oc ca. Yes, thanks jeff for showing me that sight i have been on it almost every day looking for a place to mine here in oc i want to try my luck near holcome vally or some where around here. Do you know anyone i could get together with down here in my neck of the woods untill i make out to az.

Chris The Vallet Prospectors has [at least they used to] some Holcolm Valley claims. When working in HV try to work the red dirt.