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Updated February
25, 2005
Gold Notes............... Dave Allen 858-536-9704
home
[email protected] (home)
[email protected] (work)
Statement: I do not have anything to
sell. As a miner/prospector, my expected payoff is in the precious metal I
pull out of the earth! It's also nice to have a few friends enjoying
themselves, Diggin Gold!
LIABILITY DISCLAIMER: Please be aware! This
site is a learning experience only. The information provided on this site is
just "my notes and opinions" and could easily be incorrect. Do not
rely solely on the notes provided here. Check other resources and verify all
details before making commitments or decisions. You could be "right",
and still get shot or lose money. (End of disclaimer)
**********************************
As a gold prospectors association member, I
feel we can all learn from each other.
Share information, learn about our profession, and build on it. Each
one of us has something to share.
Hoard your gold, share your knowledge! Oh! Okay, you
can share your gold, if you feel the need.
1. No matter what the old-timers say, THERE
ARE PLENTY OF CLAIMS TO BE HAD!
Do not be discouraged. If you have problems, call me and I will help
you.
Your question is probably something we all need answered. Let's learn
together.
2. What skills/items are really needed for filing a claim?
a. Knowledge of where land is available for claiming.
b. Map reading skills. Don't laugh, there are no signs saying
"place claim marker here".
c. Although not essential, a GPS is inexpensive and invaluable in
determining location.
d. Forms are available in the book (see next item) and on the
internet.
Special
Note: Send ORIGINAL FORMS TO COUNTY RECORDER and send a copy to the
BLM.
e. Least we not forget, you need to actually find gold! That's a
skill indeed.
f. Money? yes, a little. A 160 ac claim with 8 claimants
will run about $25. ea. Or you can file for a 20 ac claim all by
yourself and pay all the money yourself.
3. Here is a "must have" book if
you are into mining claims:
"Location and Patenting of Mining Claims and Mill Sites
2000 EDITION (listed under ** Featured Items **
) $10.00
******* This is a real find! *******"
Order it off the internet at http://store.ca.blm.gov
click on "store", then "Mining/Gold (or Featured Items)",
or search for it locally. It's $10.00 plus shipping and it came in
about 5 days when I ordered via the internet. UPDATE: As of today, March
17, 2004 the BLM website is "DOWN". A call to the BLM in
Sacramento yielded no
information. They don't know when it will be back "UP". They don't
know why it is down.
4. Get a BLM "land use" map to
see where land is available for claiming. Determine your Meridian,
Township and Range. Note the location of any patented land, you cannot
claim there.
5. Do your research! If you need my help,
just ask. (I don't want to "horn in" on your claim. I
hope you will share your claim later but that's your choice). If you go in
with others for a larger claim, be VERY CAREFUL. You typically find
gold where other people have found gold.
Once you have found a likely area, go to the internet and look up the active
claims. Be aware! Not all claims are on the internet site. The BLM does not
verify what they put on their lr2000 site. Even when I point out
inaccuracies, they don't fix them.
http://www.blm.gov/lr2000/ (See
notes below or call me)
6. Go to the prospective claim area and
actually find gold. This is called location.
Remember, placer claims can be filed over lode. Lode claims will
require a plan of
operation and possibly a financial bond. Placer means the gold is not
in a vein.
7. Use a GPS and get the exact location of
your find. The GPS is my favorite tool.
Once you get use to yours, you will love it also. I'm not an expert on
mine but if
you need help, just ask.
8. Decide how many acres you want to
claim. Each claimant gets 20 acres and you can have up to 160 acres on
a claim (8 or more claimants). Be careful who you partner with... Enough
said.
Side Note: If you want other people on your claim as claimants, be sure there
is a clear understanding of all the details concerning this claim. Will
you allow visitors? Are you all sharing the entire claim? At the
height of the Gold Rush, an individual claimant was allowed the exclusive use
of exactly one shovel-length (area) all around his immediate find. If
he found gold and was working it, no one else could work any closer than one
shovels length from him.
Sounds fair to me, but it's your claim. It's not much fun working by
your self.
9. !
If you enjoy this site call me and let me know!
BLM SMF 916-978-4360 (for claim
questions)
916-978-4400 (for map & location notice of active claims) about $3.75
ea.
The Gold Associations:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spma2
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goldgemprospectors/
My favorite sites:
https://www.topozone.com
(topo maps for free)
http://store.ca.blm.gov
click on "store", then "Mining/Gold" (Great
Books)
http://www.prusik.com/maptools/UsingUTM/ (This has great map reading
info)
http://imcg.wr.usgs.gov/usbmak/mngindex.html
(mining claims on Fed. Lands)
http://www.blm.gov/lr2000 (BLM Claim
Data) ***
http://www.ca.blm.gov/caso/minloc.html
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/title/d1_c8_228.html
(dredge)
http://www.goldgold.com/neprfiles/neprdrpts.htm
http://www.blm.gov/iemtap/mineindex.html
http://www.abouttreasurehunting.com
(Lots of great links here)
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/graphicsversion/bigmain.html
(6 hour weather loop)
http://www.keeneengineering.com/catalog.html
Special notes on the BLM Claim Data
site:
http://www.blm.gov/lr2000
(BLM Claim Data) ***
You need a pretty fast internet connection for this site.
The reports section of this site is only available from 4:00am
to 7:pm Mountain Standard time.
I am not sure of it's availability on weekends.
This site takes a little time to master, but is well worth the effort.
Certain tidbits like "USE CAPS ONLY" are not obvious at this
site.
You will be directed to download a program (BRIO) before using the
reports.
If you need help, please call me. Let's get some new claims
filed!
+++++++++++++++++++
article deleted......
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
(this is the Federal Register)
Look here! http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont01.html
Look at the contents of each day and scroll down to "Land Management
Bureau" and see what they are really doing. (For example on Friday
Nov. 30, they closed 1.7 MILLION ACRES in Arizona)
UPDATE: for 2004 Federal Register contents go here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont04.html
Another way is to look on http://www.abouttreasurehunting.com/
They will have a link.
Here's a interesting site: http://www.icmj.com
Mining Claims in the Forest
**********
- Special note: The Forest Service Rules
are a bit different. Please don't use this information to stake a
claim in the Forest. I am just starting my
research for claims in the Forest. It is
possibly a bit more involved.
The items being researched are A. Code of Federal Regulations 36CFR228 and B.
FSM 2800 chapter 2810 - Mining Claims.
http://www.fs.fed.us/geology/36cfr228a.txthttp://www.fs.fed.us/geology/2810.html
UPDATE: From two guys I spoke with from the Forestry Service, you might want
to forget about having a claim in the Forest.
There appears to be at least two problems:
a. The Endangered Species Act will almost
certainly keep you from enjoying your work in the Forest.
Little critters such as the Arroyo Toad are far more likely to enjoy the Forest
for many years to come. I'm all for "toads rights" and they need
protecting but maybe this is just one more area where our society has gotten
out of hand.
- The Forest Rangers are caught in the middle. If
they allow you to work a claim in the forest, they will be sued by one
or more of the Environmental Protection groups.
- The rangers love OUR forest. They are concerned
about us miners destroying the forest. Me too. I've seen claims that
have been worked and left with "holes" exposed.
We must remember that we are prospectors and miners. We must endeavor to work
our claims in a professional manner and be aware of the rights of others, as
well.
If it were not for the
Endangered Species Act, we could quote rules etc. and we would probably win.
But that is not the case today.
I think there are more reasonable places to
prospect...... lets leave the Forest alone for now. If
you are still interested in a claim in the Forest,
call me and I will tell you more.
*** End of Forest Claims ***********
What has Dave been doing the last six months? Okay, here is the results of my
kitchen renewal project. I ripped
everything out, down to the studs and installed it all myself. With a little help from Kris.
And the steps on Kris’s Fifth-wheel
Place ATV Pics here
MORE LATER!
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