We’ll conclude by digging a bit more into the regulations and pitfalls, and discuss what they are used for, their relationship to gold, and what the future holds.

I’d like to offer some practical comments about staking and maintaining mining claims. Owning your own claim is the dream of many prospectors. I’ve made good money off my mining claims, both from the minerals I have found on them as well as from leasing out some of my claims to larger mining and exploration companies.