Nugget Shooting & Owning Mining Claims

[chrisski]

Except for perhaps the ICMJ magazine, I have never seen a decent claim for sale.  I can’t speak to larger scale mining, so I have no idea how good those ads were.

Adds for claims in things like craigslist and EBay all have a lot of words that explain the history of mining in the area.  Most say they are located in the vicinity of the great producing historic (insert name mine).  None of them have any data about what was pulled from the claim itself.  

When I’ve looked at the actual location of this advertised, often there are open claims around it.  Once, there was even a GPAA claim on better ground next to the one for sale.

When you look at a list of who owns claims, there is one guy who’s name appears a lot; he sells these claims he has.  So many there is no way these are anything but paper claims.  Not only will he sell them to you, if you forget to file the yearly paperwork, he will claim it again and then sell it to you a second time.

The area I am at, central AZ by Wickenburg, has thousands of claims with no active mines I see.  On a rare good day, People can pull nuggets off these local claims and some grams dry washing, but in the whole state of 8 million people, there are probably less than 10 people making a living off small scale placer mining.  I’m not saying this so someone thinks they will be #11.

I have staked claims myself based off gold discovery on them.  I have let them all go because none of the nugget detecting, dry washing, or trommel mining I did would make it worth it.

[HardPack]

On 12/13/2023 at 7:45 AM, Zoomie97 said:

Or do you just prospect open land or join a club with claims?

Both. Do your research. A placer claim requires far less capital investment for the hobbyist. You can work it with a pan, sluice, high banker, suction dredge and multiple metal detectors. Your trip to the poor house will last far longer. 

I am currently reading a book regarding the history of the local quartz mines in the area. Many of these quartz mines originated as 1850’s placer claims adjacent to lode deposits. The reading is more of a chronology of mine owners, claim transfers, court proceedings, foreclosures and lien sales. The book documents multiple groups of mining partners that file a claim on a surface free gold quartz deposit, drive a shaft down 30 feet down into the high grade pocket, process the high grade ore by hand, mortgage the claim for capital, invest the borrowed capital in a stamp mill, clean out the high grade pocket, continue to mine a far lower grade of ore, borrow more capital to expand the efficiency of the stamp mill, the seasonal water source drys up, low grade stockpiles climb as high as the debts, the mine owners take to drinking, gambling and shooting at others, shortly after the hangings the mining claim finds itself in the hands of another group of new arrivals looking to put some gold in their pouches. 

The truth is a dentist mines more gold than most. Good Luck

[Condor]

Definitely stay clear of those Rye Patch claims.  I met 2 nice guys from down south who bought some of those claims, sight unseen.  A total rip off, a good mile from the actual Rye Patch placers.  Some shyster operations going on out there.

[mn90403]

I tried to rain on that party going on out there many years ago but it has now become a storm and I don't comment on it any more.  It is like a bad puppy mill.

There are 'open' sections that can be detected without needing a claim.

[GhostMiner]

   The main reason to own a mining claim or claims is commercial. Then you need to own them or lease them. If you're a recreational miner just doing it for fun then you must weigh the monetary costs against the emotional (fun) aspect just like any other feel good hobby. Some people don't mind spending money & losing it if they feel it is worth it on the fun factor scale. To each his own. I personally wouldn't waste my money on a claim unless you are making money every year. You have fees & taxes. With gold pushing $2100 / ounce & likely climbing higher next year you will see a lot of dreamers get taken to the cleaners. The Greenhorns are easy prey for the less than honest. It has always been this way. It will only get worse. HEY -  Be careful out there.

[dig4gold]

4 hours ago, HardPack said:

The truth is a dentist mines more gold than most. Good Luck

And Minelab mining the miners. Even more in the new year.

D4G

[Gerry in Idaho]

I was chatting with one of the guys who sells many mining claims in NV around where I like to detect.  He asked me why I didn't want to sell claims and make money.  It was an honest question and I had to pause before I answered.  I told him that I prefer to sell the detector than provides a better chance of success at finding gold.  I said, "I sell a dream" and some folks "enjoy the hunt".  He replied, "Gerry, I sell the same dream, just a different piece of equipment."  Actually, he is correct.

Heck, many of us purchase something more for the dream and hunt...it's just the way some of us think.

So the moral of the story.  Do your research in the guy selling the claims, research the actual claims and then do your research on the dealer selling the detector.  At least with me, you get to go home with a tool in your hands and keep it.  Even if you forget to file the paperwork (warranty) you still get to keep the detector forever.

[Gold Ryder]

As someone who owns half a dozen claims.   We have some claims here in Montana that have very good big gold on them and no water.   So on these claims we dig holes in layers to bedrock  and detect.  There is still good close surface gold to be found on the claims as well but its a fraction of what is at depth.  This to me is the type of ground that is logical to claim if you can find it.  But if I was strictly a surface or close to it detectorist.  I dont think it makes alot of sense to own your own.  You would work out a 20 acre claim fairly quickly and the cost and government red tape is just not worth it.  That being said with gold climbing good unclaimed gold ground is gonna get trickier and trickier to find and hunt. A classic example happened to us this year. All the previous unclaimed ground around us 4500 acres roughly just got swooped up this year by a large scale mining company. So now we are hog tied from exploring very much new ground around our existing claims. 

[mn90403]

I belong to a few clubs in Southern California.  It is the strategy of some of those clubs to use members to claim open claims in the area near the club claims to protect the entire area for miners against environmentalists, solar interests, wind interests and other huge interests that will just sit on the claims and keep us off.  They might even have to buy us out in order to get what they want.  Some won't sell the dream!

[chrisski]

5 hours ago, mn90403 said:

solar interests, wind interests

 Is this federal land?  How do these keep you from mining if not being in use?

AFIK, the federal govt leases land to both myself and cattle grazers.  I’m unfamiliar with rules of wind and solar leases on federal land.