Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Research where you would like to purchase a claim. Maps provided by the U.S. Geological Survey will help you find gold-bearing locations that were discovered in past surveys. Typing "Alaska gold" into the homepage search engine will get you started in the right direction.
Purchase a claim from a previous owner. This can be a risky way to purchase a claim, so you will want to verify that the seller's claim is in good standing with federal and local townships. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources provides a helpful checklist to help you avoid gold claim scams.
Travel to the township where the gold claim is located. Townships have the most up-to-date information and accurate maps of gold claims. This will allow you to verify a claim that is up for sale, or you may find that there is still some unclaimed land that is available for gold mining.
Begin the legal process of staking your own claim by placing posts at each corner of the claim. This should already have been done if you are purchasing a claim from a previous owner.
Use a GPS to record the exact coordinates of your claim. This will prevent other potential gold claims from overlapping yours.
File your gold claim at the township records office and also with the Alaskan Bureau of Land Management. Pay all applicable state and federal fees/rental payments to receive legal documentation of your gold claim.