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How to Stake a Gold Mine Claim

Staking a gold or silver mine claim or a claim for any minerals there is a simple procedure in place. You cannot file a claim on privately owned land. It should be on land in 19 states with federally administered lands. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The land is managed by the Bureau of land Management, U.S. Forest Service or other similar Government agency. This article is on staking a new claim. If there is an existing claim you can buy it from the claim owner. If the claim is already staked or filed you can also possibly buy it by paying back fees if the mining claim fees are unpaid.

Instructions

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  The first step is to locate the area you wish to stake your claim and mark the corners well. It must be less than 20 acres. It can not be in a National Park, on an Indian Reservation, near a National monument, a wildlife preserve or study area or any similar excluded region. Be ready to readily give the location coordinates as they would appear on a geological map. Old claims are often quite vague. They must be easy to identify to be protected as your claim. Attach a notice to your claim stakes that states that you own the mineral rights. States your name or registered company name, and the date. It can include prominent geological features in the description and landmarks. Identify the type of claim. A lode claim is to dig for minerals in the ground and actually create a hole or mine shaft. A placer claim is for minerals found on the surface. Typically placer claims are to pan or sluice box in a stream or river. You will be subject to local mining laws for how you mine and any equipment or process used and land restoration.
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  Now file the claim with your local county clerk where the mine claim is located. Counties may have specific paper work to file a claim in the county and regulations for business permits. You must pay the proper mineral patent claim fees. The county clerk will not automatically research any other claims to make sure you are not overlapping or crossing another mine claim. It is up to you to ask for their help and do that checking.
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  Once you have filed your mining claim in the proper county records you must file a claim with the area BLM office or government agency over that mine parcel. The government does not have an approved form for this. You just fill out a letter that explains your filing a mine claim and enter a description and a copy of the recording with the county recorder. Sign and date the form and mail it off. If you know the individual or department address it to their attention. You now own a gold mine and

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