boulder dash Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Came across some abandoned mining equipment on unclaimed blm ground was wondering if anyone knows how i can make it mine. Do I just file a claim on it or do I have to jump through lots of red tape a hoops? There have not been any active clims since 2008. Not sure if they did there reclamation lots of trash was left out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawmill Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 The first thing you need to do is contact the local BLM office,and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 What makes you so sure it's abandoned ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawmill Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Homefire Right! it is not abandoned equipment,until the BLM says it is.If they haven't filed and won trespass charges,the equipment is notabandoned. I would make real sure that the claim is not active too.Never trust the claim information provided on the internet,or the claimmapping programs,offered for sale. On an older claim,the only official records,that you can trust is withthe State BLM main office. On older claims sometimes the yearlyfees and paper work does not make it back to the County level. That iswhy that it is smart to check with both County and the State BLM officeon any mining claim. Also the above reasons are why you shouldn't relyon the local BLM office totally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser John Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 County Recorder or you'll get shot for theft in short order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Did they happen to leave a beer can crusher laying around? Sure could use one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluicebox Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Are you talking something small enough to haul off in a covered trailer, or are you talking a stamp mill? Got pics? If you've got good roads and stuff small enough to fit in a coverd trailer or pick up bed, it could just dissappear once you are sure it doesn't actually belong to a real person. The BLM doesn't qualify as a real person in my book, they are just government theives like the IRS. But, like the sign says "don't steal, the government hates competition, and has the legal right to eliminate it". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawmill Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 sluicebox We are fighting to keep our legal rights to mine and prospect on public land now!In order to keep these rights ,we must also respect the rights of other miners andkeep our standards ,to a higher degree than a common criminal.Posts like yours only serves to make prospectors ,look like common trash.The law allows a claim owner to keep his equipment on a claim until reclamationrequirements are met,even though he has relinquished the mineral rights. Untilthe BLM issues a trespass violation and has a final judgement issued,the machinerystill belongs to the claimant,and is not abandoned under federal law.In order for the machinery to be there in the first place,the claimant must of hada notice of intent,or plan of operations in place. It is a felony to remove anyproperty from a federal mining claim,unless you can prove ownership. The reasonI first stated to check with the local district office ,is all trespass and reclamation issuesare handled at the local district level. If there is any litigation involved with the claim,they would know all the details. There is also a big chance that the BLM is monitoring that claim,if the claimant wasoperating outside of the law. They may just be waiting for someone to start packingthings off,to make an arrest. Until a person makes an honest effort ,and has beengiven a bill of sale,by the owner,or BLM ,he could be paying for that junk ,by hardlabor in the cross bar hotel. Not to mention losing all your stuff. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringer Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 If you are finding any portable equipment I would hope you would leave it be. I have covered my drywasher and vac in the desert so I didn't have to move it in and out. If it is major equipment I would think you would need some kind of government permission just to move it let alone claim it as yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Slim Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I left an outboard motor propped up by a chair last spring when I had to move to my motor home to higher ground -- about 200 yards away -- because the river I was camped by was coming up. I didn't move the motor because it was too darn heavy and I knew the water wouldn't hurt it. Sure enough, someone "found" the motor while I wasn't looking and took it. It wasn't a big deal to me because the motor was frozen up and would have cost way more than it was worth to fix but the carburetor alone was worth about $150.The bottom line is that just because something of value is unattended doesn't mean it was abandoned. It probably isn't. Granted, those that leave something unattended take a chance that someone will steal it, but that's just what it is, stealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodd in B.C. Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Not very cut and dried laws..Here you have to have a bond in place before you move any equipment on the claim or leasethe more machinery you have on the property and surphace area disturbed determines how mutch $bond is required I had an excavator and a wash plant cost $5000 bond could be a million dollars... when you quit you have to request your bond back which means you have to have an inspection done if it is approved then you get your bond back if not done in a suitable time frame they can seize your equipment sell it and hire someone to do it and you get charged all costs....... When you apply for your bond all machinery must be removed prior to inspection..T he govt. never owns anything of yours unless they seize it for reclamation costs etc.Someone owns it but here if the claim is abandoned you can claim the property and whatever is on it at the time providing you lay a claim on the equipment but I'll guarntee if it is worthmutch money they are not going to let you haul it away..RJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodd in B.C. Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Some years back a good friend of mine sold a 4' x 10' shaker deck for $2000 to some gold minder crookhe was a very trusting person, took a cheque for it the guy had it picked up by a truck had it hauled 700miles north of here handed the trucker a cheque also well the trucker got to the bank before my friendand of course it bounced he got in contact with my friend who hadn't cashed his yet and you get the restof the story,top it all off from where it was unloaded he dragged it back 20 miles with a skidder the truckertold him...Probably it stayed where it was when he finished with it unless he could get another free ride..Personaly I might have given some consideration to going up there finding him and leading up his equipment..when he was't around..RJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulder dash Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I will check with the local blm office. Thanks for everyones help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser John Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 DON'T WASTE TIME AT THE BLM--go to the local Recorders office and find out the real deal on that property. From beginning to end the Recorder has every last filing ever made on that property no matter who owns it. BLM GeoCom/LR2000 is accurate 50% of the time on 50% of the claims,and that's on a good day-tons a au 2 u2 -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawmill Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Hoser JohnNormally the County recorder would be the best place for your firstinquiry . But this is a different matter. The County would not have anyinformation about any litigation on these claims. They would not beaware of any agreements between the BLM and the claimant onreclamation either. The county would not know if this equipment hasbeen seized by the BLM either. Only the BLM has that information.The claimant could have BLM permission to leave his equipment inplace until reclamation is in progress. As long as he has a bond inplace ,the BLM will make exceptions.The local BLM field office handles all of the above,and would haveall the details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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