How To
Mining Claims—What to Know Before You File
April 2011 by Chris Ralph
During the initial assessment year (the year of location), the claim maintenance fee must be paid at the time the notice of location is filed with the Bureau of Land Management. Failure to pay the claim maintenance fee will void the claim.Exploring Placers with Auger Drills

Ask The Experts
What are the steps for filing a mining claim?
How Long Does It Take to Find and Recover An Ounce of Gold?
Some ask if a prospector can collect an entire ounce in a day. It is possible; I’ve done it before.
Hard Rock University: Expensive Hobby or Real Business?

Finding Gold with a VLF Detector—Part II

Ask the Experts
• How to find info on a particular mining claim
Understanding Skim Bar Placers
Perhaps the most notable thing about skim placers is that they form on the top surface of gravel bars, as opposed to coarser gold placers where the weight of the gold particles allows the gold to settle down on or near bedrock.
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The Bawl Mill
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