Prospecting & Detecting
Reminder: Annual Claim Filings Due
August 2019 by Scott Harn
Mining claimants who wish to retain their mining claims on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands through the 2020 assessment year must pay a maintenance fee or file a maintenance fee waiver certificate on or before September 1, 2019, to prevent the mining claim from being forfeited.
The chart on the left shows the fees and timelines associated with filing and maintaining mining claims.
The maintenance fee for an existing lode claim, tunnel site, or mill site is $155 per claim/site. For placer mining claims only, the fees are $155 for every 20 acres of land or portion thereof. Miners who file a Small Miner’s Waiver on or before September 1 will be required to file an Affidavit of Assessment Work Form on or before December 30, 2019, including the $15 processing fee per claim.
Each payment must be accompanied by a written list of the claim names and BLM serial numbers for which the maintenance fee is being paid. You can find your state BLM office at www.blm.gov. (Click on the BLM website link, then choose "states" on the right hand side to find an office near you.)
Please note that new mining claims filed on or after September 1, 2019, will be subject to the new fee schedule.
We highly recommend you send your documents by registered mail or hand deliver them while retaining copies for your records.
Also, be sure to remember to file the appropriate paperwork with the County Recorder in the county where your claims are located.
You can view the chart at the left in a larger size on the Alaska BLM web page: https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/mining-and-minerals/locatable-minerals/mining-claims/fees
Mass Wasting & Gold Deposits
Not all of these slides and debris flows will produce results, but if you search for these while prospecting in your gold producing areas, then you can increase your odds of finding new gold.
My Lucky Thirteen Nuggets
Even with my favorite top-of-the-line gold detector there were several false digs. Many of the hot rocks gave a solid signal that was too much like a nugget to ignore. After trying several tests I just dug everything because it is better to be safe than leave a big, deep nugget for a more diligent gold hunter.
Prospecting Research
These are just some of the ways I have been able to find new spots to metal detect for gold.
What, Where and How for the New Prospector
How to go about the entire process of prospecting is a big question. The answer comes down to research and preparation.
Turning Hobby Mining into Business Mining
The first thing a person should do is seriously consider whether they want to go mining as a hobby or a business, and the tax implications of the choice.
A Golden Vacation
Each day for the first part of the week my boys and I picked and chipped away at that wall, stockpiling dirt in 5-gallon buckets and cement mixing tubs.
The “Push” for Gold—The Great Nevada Adventure Continues
I got a signal but knew it was small. Still, I was very happy to find something. I continued and got another signal. Yes! A bigger nugget! Then I got another signal.
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