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News from the Editor
August 2014 by Scott Harn
Our goal is to reach out to the next generation of prospectors and miners who might prefer reading our monthly issues on their desktop computer or portable device. Before you start worrying, we have no plans whatsoever to discontinue the printed version of our publication!
Those subscribers who have an online subscription, or those who paid the additional $4 annual fee to have online access added to their print subscription, will receive an email when the new flip version is released each
month.If you would like to check out the online version, a free sample copy is available on our website at www.icmj.com
One very nice benefit is that all website and email address links in the flip version are “live.” If you click on a website link in an article or in an advertisement, you will be taken to that website. The same is true for email addresses.
On another note, we want to remind you that 2015 mining claim maintenance fees are due on or before September 1, 2014. You can still file the small miner’s waiver in lieu of fees for ten or fewer mining claims, mill or tunnel sites, which is also due on or before September 1, 2014.
Mining claim maintenance and location fees have risen—see "BLM Raises Location and Claim Fees" in this issue for the article.
The Bureau of Land Management has set up an online payment system for all states except Alaska. However, I received an error message when trying it out. I sent off a message to BLM and hopefully they will get the bugs worked out. I recommend that you plan to complete your forms and send in or drop off your payments at this time. Even if they get the payment system up and running, there is always the chance that it could break down when large numbers of miners and prospectors attempt to login at the same time.
Enjoy the last two months of summer and go find yourself some gold.
Scott Harn
Editor/Publisher
ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal
How To File A Mining Claim
Filing claims is actually quite easy, though there are a number of pitfalls that you should watch out for. Over the years, I have made just about every mistake you can with a mining claim, and have learned a few things to watch out for along the way.
The Plumas Eureka District
During any great gold rush, tales of fantastic finds abound—some are real and some are not. In the mother lode country of California, in the fall of 1850, there were a lot of fantastic finds and probably the wildest tale of that time was the story of a lake surrounded...
Pros and Cons of Big Detector Coils
Years later I returned with a new detector with a smaller coil and detector technology more sensitive to smaller nuggets. I found my first nugget within five minutes. I had a second five minutes after that.
Environment-Friendly Dredging
The modern gold prospector is a person of great moral fiber who loves the freedoms of this country and understands that with rights come responsibilities.
Looking Back
Excerpts from California Mining Journal, our original title, published 50 years ago this month.
Prospecting Knowledge -- Pass It On!
I had two of the guys go down into the creek and each one picked out a small island of bedrock. I had them detect their piece of bedrock and then gave a critique to all on how they did.
Subscription Required:
Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• Conductive Minerals and Your Metal Detector
• A Model Mining Operation
• BLM Raises Location and Claim Fees
• I Finally Made It to Northern Nevada
• Clarification on Oregon's SB838
• Drilling for Ore
• Sniping for Drought Gold
• Successful Rally for Suction Dredge Miners in Idaho
• Over the Divide
• Gold Ores of the Delamar District, Nevada
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
