Mining Claims Maps Updated

[Clay Diggins]

The Land Matters Mining Claims Maps were updated to September 15th last Thursday.

Sorry it took so long to get around to posting this up here. We also prepare the Claims Advantage reports at the same time as the claims updates and between the two there are about 20 hours put in to the update. With my paying job sometimes I run out of time to do anything but make sure the claims are updated. We have never missed a claims update so you can reasonably expect that claims will be updated on the 1st and the 15th of each month unless those days fall on a weekend.

This month I made some changes to the Mining Claims Maps to make them faster and a smaller load for those on limited connections. There is a "Tip" included on the bottom right of the map window to help you get quicker page loads for these maps. Along with that tip remember that the smaller your browser mapping window the less data transferred and the quicker the map will load. Combine that with using the zoom box feature and you will cut your map load times way down. If you want to learn more ways to make your use of the maps faster and discover the hidden tricks to making really effective maps look into the documentation found by clicking the "HELP" button at the top right of each map window.

August 31st marked the end of the federal mining year. We are crunching the volumes of claims data we've collected to bring you some usable information. Here's just a teaser of what is still to come:

Those are the final figures on closed claims over the last year. I realize some other systems and organizations have come up with some very different numbers but I can assure you these numbers are correct. If you are associated with one of those other mapping systems or organizations and would like to know how to get the correct totals from the data feel free to PM me or contact Land Matters.

[Reno Chris]

What are the total valid claims for each state for both placer and lode categories?

For claims that were dropped, how long does it take to show up? (BLM processing times, etc.)

My question is about how that is differentiated where the claimant has has used the small miners exemption - as an example, I've filed my small miners exemption, but have not yet filed my state assessment work report (which isn't yet due), so a quick check on LR 2000 will show my assessment work not up to date, but I will get them all filed in time, so using LR 2000 you cant check to see for sure if a claim has been dropped until mid February (as stuff turned in on time may take a while to get into the system)?

[Clay Diggins]

All good questions Chris!

They will all be answered and a lot more in five reports we are preparing.

The first report will be for our Claims Advantage Members and that should be ready soon. That will cover all the basic questions about the years claims activity state by state as well as a national comparison. There will be information about this past year in relation to previous years as well. All the usual charts, graphs as well as a brief movie.

Shortly after the first Claims Advantage Report we will be offering a less in depth report for public consumption. That report will cover information to answer most of your questions and a lot more you are probably thinking of already. That report will be freely available to all and will become a permanent part of the Land Matters library collection, all of which is available to the public at no charge. We plan to have that first public report available by the end of September.

The second Claims Advantage Special Report will go into the state by state results with deeper analysis and a lot more number crunching results. We expect to have that Special Report ready by mid November or earlier if possible.

The third Claims Advantage Special Report will be a BLM "report card". That report will reveal the details of the individual state BLM performance such as processing times, funding, patterns of activity and staffing. There will be a lot of interesting information in that report.

Shortly after the BLM report card Special Report goes out to Claims Advantage Members we will be offering a public version of the BLM report card report.

To answer the unasked question briefly there are almost exactly the same number of mining claims at the start of this mining year as there were at the start of the last mining year.

 

[Clay Diggins]

 

On 9/17/2016 at 2:49 PM, Reno Chris said:

My question is about how that is differentiated where the claimant has has used the small miners exemption - as an example, I've filed my small miners exemption, but have not yet filed my state assessment work report (which isn't yet due), so a quick check on LR 2000 will show my assessment work not up to date, but I will get them all filed in time, so using LR 2000 you cant check to see for sure if a claim has been dropped until mid February (as stuff turned in on time may take a while to get into the system)?

If you have a claim in California the BLM State office doesn't begin processing the small miners until the beginning of August of the following year.

In Nevada you will usually see updates by the end of January.

In Utah claim filings are processed quickly.

The BLM has an administrative mandate to update their case files, including the LR2000, within 5 working days of receiving a filing or change of status. Obviously that isn't happening in any State. Our upcoming reports will address that on a state by state basis.

p.s. In California a work affidavit or intent to hold recording is due on or by September 30th. Other States have different deadlines. In all States the BLM filing for small miners is due on or before December 30th at the State BLM office.

[jasong]

Regarding claims update news in general, I was told by 2 different offices that they are currently working on some kind of new policy to deal with the profusion of paper stakers and internet snake oil sales like Gold Rush Expeditions (GRE), Department of Land Transfer, and all those ebay scam artists like them. I don't know what the solution is but I'm guessing it's going to be another maintenance fee increase or something along those lines.

I was told in no uncertain terms that they (claims adjudicators) view those claims as garbage.

[Clay Diggins]

Intent is a difficult road to go down jasong. Although it's obviously illegal to locate a claim, without a verified discovery, for the sole purpose of reselling the location I don't see how the BLM could possibly manage the personal or resources to prove intent. Even if they do I'm not sure how they would pursue such a concept in court. It's been done before but the BLM's role in those cases has been to present evidence of falsifying or hiding claim ownership.

As far as fees stopping claims mongers I don't see the connection. The BLM is not able to change base fees themselves - that a function of Congress. Punishing all claim owners for the actions of the criminal minority is foolish and destructive in my opinion.

I'm not sure what you mean by "claims adjudicator" that's usually the title for an insurance investigator. There is no such role for mineral claims in the BLM. Are these BLM employees you spoke to? If so perhaps there was another title those individuals held?

I hate claims mongers. The two you mentioned are some of the worst. I could add several dozen to that class of sleazebag. All that said about the only effective way to stop those individuals without damaging the claim system as a whole is to educate their potential suckers as to the reality of what they are buying. When they can't find suckers to sell their "claims" to they will lose all interest in "mining" and move on to the next scam.

The BLM hasn't proposed any education programs to warn off potential victims of the claims mongers so I'm guessing what you are hearing is grouching and administrative bluster. I hear a lot of that but I've learned to treat it as background noise.

[jasong]

Well they call themselves "claims adjudicators" when I talk to them or that's what they refer to them by when they transfer me to them, whatever their official title may be.

Anyways, I'm just posting what I was told because it might have implications in a year or two, whatever they may be. They said they have been looking at the situation in Washington for a few years and they now have plans to take action to rectify it nationwide.

When I prospect and map out the existing claims, probably close to 50% of the claims (especially lode) are filed erroneously or the location certificate is so rife with contradictions and errors that I can't physically locate the actual claim on the ground. So as it is, I talk to these claims adjudicators on a fairly regular basis in a number of different states. They are the ones who work at the BLM state headquarters and determine wether claims are valid or not, or if they need amendments or additional paperwork, or whatever else. Also they are the ones who you get directed to when you go into the state headquarters with existing claim specific questions, I've met a number of them in person. So whatever their official title is, that's what they call themselves.

[jasong]

Oh yeah and they also said they have plans to rollout improvements in data access including potential changes or upgrades to claims databases. Which would be awesome.

One thing is they said they have plans or have been talking about digitizing paperwork filings so you can pull papers and maps without having to travel to the state office. Already in the Lakewood office they have a program where the public room will email copies of any paperwork (loc certs, etc) to you for a small fee so you don't have to drive halfway across the country to get a copy, but not all offices do that yet.

[Clay Diggins]

2 hours ago, jasong said:

One thing is they said they have plans or have been talking about digitizing paperwork filings so you can pull papers and maps without having to travel to the state office. Already in the Lakewood office they have a program where the public room will email copies of any paperwork (loc certs, etc) to you for a small fee so you don't have to drive halfway across the country to get a copy, but not all offices do that yet.

All the State BLM offices will mail you paper copies of the claims filings. The cost varies according to who you know or talk to that day. The average is around 13 cents a page. No need to drive anywhere unless you live down a long road from your mailbox.

An email service would be helpful for first look at mining claims. The County Recorders we work with provide online downloads of scans of the Public Recordings of actual location notices and amendments etc. Often, but not always, those Public Record scans require a paid account.

We don't map a claim if there is no Public Record. A surprising number of "claims" turn out to be just paper filings at the BLM. Without a Public Record at the County and a BLM filing there can be no claim. There is a long used and very popular GPAA "claim" in California that has never been recorded.

[Clay Diggins]

As Claims Advantage Members know we have begun our annual Special Reports on the year in Mining Claims.

The first report is 14 pages covering the last seven years claims numbers on a State by State basis. We've produced a public one page report to give you a look at the basic numbers over those last seven years.

Land Matters Annual Mining Claims Review Overview 2016 Public Report is available free online and as a PDF download from this page.

 

From the charts and tables in the report you can get a good overview of claims activities over the last seven years. There's also a depiction of all the mining claims current by State and Type at the end of the 2016 mining year. (see below)

 

I'm hoping this information will help clear up some of the large amounts of misinformation being put out by different groups over the last few years. You can get a feel for the actual patterns for new and closed claims as well as acreage and small miner status over the seven year period.

 

Land Matters will be following up soon with a very detailed 15 page 2016 State by State comparison for Claims Advantage Members only. Shortly after that Special Report Land Matters will send a 14 page administrative report to Claims Advantage Members. That's the BLM mining claims "report card" for 2016. That report will be very enlightening as to how well and when each State's BLM office handled their claim duties in 2016. Land Matters will be offering a briefer public version of that report too. I'll post an announcement on this forum when that public report is available.

 

Here's a quick look at active mining claims at the end of the 2016 mining year.

 

 

 

The Land Matters Mining Claims Maps were updated yesterday as they are twice each month. It's the most current claims mapping available.

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