Annual 2012 Mining Claims Filings

[clay 810]

With the new fees on mining claims there has been some confusion about just how this will affect claimholders. Ruby put together this explanation and chart to help our fellow prospectors understand their options.

This doesn't cover every situation but if you have a specific question not covered here feel free to ask.

You can download a printable .PDF file with this information at THIS LINK.

General Guidelines

for Your Annual 2012 Mining Claims Filings

by Ruby Miner

WHO

Anyone who has any ACTIVE lode claims, placer claims, mill sites or tunnel sites on file with

the BLM who wants to keep those claims after September 1, 2012.

WHAT and WHEN

You may be required to file one or more of these documents.

Small Miners Waiver

Annual Maintenance Fee

Affidavit of Assessment Work

Intention to Hold

Small Miners

If you and ALL persons on ALL of your association claims hold 10 or fewer mining claims, you

may file a Small Miners Waiver and waive the 2013 Annual Maintenance Fee. This must be

done on or before September 1st. You must also record an Affidavit of Assessment Work

into the County Recorder's office in the county where the claim is located AND file a copy with

the BLM on or before December 30, 2012

If you have Mill Sites and/or Tunnel Sites they do not require assessment work. You will need

to record an Intention to Hold with the appropriate County Recorder AND file a copy with

the BLM on or before December 30, 2012.

Other Miners

All other claim holders must pay an Annual Maintenance Fee with the BLM of $140 for each

Lode Claim, Mill Site and Tunnel Site. For each Placer Claim you must pay $140 for each 20

acres and portion thereof. For example; a placer claim that is the size of a standard lode claim

(600 ft x 1500 ft) is 20.66 acres and will require a payment of $280.

If you are paying an Annual Maintenance Fee you are required by law to record an Intention

to Hold at the County Recorder's office on your existing claims each year. The BLM can not

declare your claims as "abandoned" for failure to make this public filing but it is a good idea to

do so.

Follow the attached chart to determine what you need to file and to determine how much it will

cost you.

WHERE

BLM

Documents that are required to be filed with the BLM need to be filed at the appropriate State

BLM office not your BLM Field Office.

Alaska BLM Office

Arizona BLM Office

California BLM Office

Colorado BLM Office

Idaho BLM Office

Montana BLM Office – Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota

Nevada BLM Office

New Mexico BLM Office – New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas & Kansas

Utah BLM Office

Wyoming BLM Office

Eastern States BLM Office

County Recorder

Documents that are required to be recorded with the county need to be recorded at the

County Recorder's office(s) in the county where your claim(s) is located.

Links to County Recorders

Please remember that these are General Guidelines only. I encourage all miners to study the

appropriate mining laws for a full understanding of the filing requirements.

Another MinerDiggins Adventure

All Rights Reserved

Right to reproduce granted provided text is unmodified and attribution is included.

[Nugget Shooter 4,509]

Howdy Clay! Hey thank Ruby for taking the time to do this and I am sure it will help out allot of folks...

[Hoser John 1,238]

YAHOO got my papers back in 6 days,and that even includes a weekend,and no extra $$$$ for all 5 claims and 2 were 40's--John---till next year when we get it again with more promulgated bs...

[GlennM 93]

So, what are the chances they are going to come back after you, or invalidate/claim abandoned?

We all know they'll gladly take the money and run, govt being the biggest scam artists around and all

Serious question.

[Hoser John 1,238]

ZERO but next years costs are another topic of gut wrenching angst.....John

[Gilaoro 25]

John, I picked up a claim at the last minute with a "Quite Claim Deed' on the 25th, recorded it on the 27th and mailed it the same day to the BLM.

Got it back on the 31st, thats fast service from any goverment office. Boxy said the BLM in AZ usually starts the 16 of September listing claims not paid, it will be interesting to see whats dropped!

Max

[Terry Soloman 809]

Clubs have dropped claims, quite a few around Rich Hill. I know GPAA/LDMA is buying many dropped claims very quietly..

[Gilaoro 25]

I noticed that the Roadrunners have picked up some claims in the far western edge of the LSD, not sure when they got them but it was before the maintence fee date, all of my "Footprint" CDs burned in my fire so I am getting new ones when I can and I noticed the RR,s on the latest update to LSD. Its amazing the number of claims that are wide open even in the Rich Hill area.

Max

[Steel Pan 327]

Could be a new Gold rush, or "claims" rush, eh?

[Gilaoro 25]

I doubt it! At over $1000 on 5 claims I am at about my limit. It don't take long with filing fees, couinty & BLM, postage and return receipts, gas it don't take long plus assays on my new one to send off Tuesday it will have to pay or be gone!

There are plenty of claims out there that are worth it though! Even patented ground had come down in price before the latest run up in gold prices

Max

Could be a new Gold rush, or "claims" rush, eh?

[Gilaoro 25]

John, I picked up a claim at the last minute with a "Quite Claim Deed' on the 25th, recorded it on the 27th and mailed it the same day to the BLM.

Got it back on the 31st, thats fast service from any goverment office. I think clay said said the BLM in AZ usually starts the 16 of September listing claims not paid, it will be interesting to see whats dropped!

Max

[LostDutchman 0]

How can I get information on valid or dropped claims?

Gilaoro,

what are footprint CDs? Where do you get them? You stated "I noticed that the Roadrunners have picked up some claims in the far western edge of the LSD." How can you see the claims and who has what claims?

Sorry for sounding so ignorant... I am just now thinking about getting my own claim... I know nothing about the process but am trying to learn... My last source for current and abandoned claimes dried up....

[Nugget Shooter 4,509]

I have several of the footprint map programs available at my shop.

[GlennM 93]

The Footprints map CDs are a great tool.

[LostDutchman 0]

Bill,

How much? Locations? Will they show current status?

I probably won't be down that way until the outing.

[Steel Pan 327]

I have several of the footprint map programs available at my shop.

Whoa,...wha....what's this footprint map thingy???

[Gilaoro 25]

Check them out at the their website:http://www.minerdiggins.com./.

While you are at it check Ruby's Ripples and get the free Google Gold Atlas and instructions on running LR-2000 reports.

then you will be ready when that claim comes along.

Max

[Gilaoro 25]

Lost Dutchman, I got my very first one from Bill, it was the first one out and covered Little San Domingo, I started looking close to my house which was at MP 140 on Hiway 60. I allready knew a spot just 1 mile from my house where vacking the shallow bedrock would produce 200 fly specs to a 3 1/2 gallon bucket but it was localized and appeared to soon go on to state land. After getting familar with the format I soon discovered an area of 200 to 400 feet wide and over a mile long that was not on a claim and not state land where this gold continued. Needless to say the price was recovered many times that winter, people are very careless about statking claims, not only they put the stakes no where near where they say they are but put them on private property, State Parks and other places such as state land, now that one will get their attention!

Max

How can I get information on valid or dropped claims?

Gilaoro,

what are footprint CDs? Where do you get them? You stated "I noticed that the Roadrunners have picked up some claims in the far western edge of the LSD." How can you see the claims and who has what claims?

Sorry for sounding so ignorant... I am just now thinking about getting my own claim... I know nothing about the process but am trying to learn... My last source for current and abandoned claimes dried up....

[GlennM 93]

Yeah, there are also swaths, albeit small, of land on top of Rich Hill that are open. The program for that area shows those, too. Just be sure to have a marked up map and decent GPS in hand in case someone stops ya.

Certainly worth the money for the possibility to get into areas you thought were all claimed up or private land.

They do all the research and provide images of the official docs so you don't have to hunt them down. Awesome setup.

[Gilaoro 25]

GlennM, Would it not be great to have a nugget hunting buddy with a Helo? Especialy one equipt to lift large loads ?

[Hoser John 1,238]

I have one Max but for 2 years now he's just working himself to death to keep the shop open,1 of 4 choppers sold already and no end in sight to northern kalif depression AND yet another huge fire started yesterday afternoon north of town and closed I-5 both directions again-ya' all be careful out there!!!John

[GlennM 93]

Are you calling me fat?

LOL

I certainly agree.

I do have one with a pilot's license and his own, paid for, single engine plane. Costs about $100/hr to fly, though. I've talked to him about going up. I would video the whole thing and marry up to GPS later. Just don't have several hundred to spend on it.

[Gilaoro 25]

Sorry Guys! if I got you inflamed wirth the ideal! I have been informed that you can not land on BLM land without a permit and landing on some of the patented ground up there would probably get you a close round!

Same thing goes for parachutes, remember the guy who parachuted on to the tp of the Devils Tower in WY ?

Max

[Gilaoro 25]

John, A few years back the fires along I-5 s of Sacremento where so bad the asphalt they had added to the edge of the concrete burned, there must have been a 1000 trucks stuck in Casticak headed N, the helo's where using the Flying J parking lot for a pad and people where sleeping anywhere they could lie down without getting stepped on. We finnaly made it to Santa Nella the next day and I was never so glad to get in the motel and get a shower.

AND yet another huge fire started yesterday afternoon north of town and closed I-5 both directions again-ya' all be careful out there!!!John

[GlennM 93]

Sorry Guys! if I got you inflamed wirth the ideal! I have been informed that you can not land on BLM land without a permit and landing on some of the patented ground up there would probably get you a close round!

Same thing goes for parachutes, remember the guy who parachuted on to the tp of the Devils Tower in WY ?

Max

That's why you don't land. Two options-

Locate w/GPS and figure a way in

Get the chopper way low and drop gear and self out. Then either hike out or have chopper come back and do a hover-boarding (not like Back To The Future, though ) if'n you and the pilot have the stones.

The drive to the top of Rich Hill is almost like a highway. A careful driver in a two wheel drive pickup could make it up. I have even seen a Subaru up there