Desert Messenger

28 www.DesertMessenger.com December 2, 2015 minerals on federally-adminis- tered lands are locatable, leasable, and salable. Of the three, mining claims on public lands are able to be staked on locatable minerals. Lo- catable minerals include both me- tallic minerals (such as gold, silver, copper, lead, etc.) and non-metallic minerals, which includes anything from asbestos and fluorospar to chrysacolla. In fact, the list of locat- able minerals is extensive and based on complex legal requirements for discovery. There are two types of claims: Lode and Placer. While the legal defini- tions of each are quite technical, the basic difference between the two is easy to remember. Lode claims describe a located mineral deposit as a hardrock mineral bear- ing "lode" either in an exposed vein or underground. Lode deposits are mineral deposits found in rock that ROCKS FROM PAGE 15 commonly must be blasted and then processed to remove the valuable minerals. Placer claims are defined as "...including all forms of deposit, excepting veins of quartz, or other rock in-place." In other words every deposit of locatable minerals not designated as a "lode" is a placer claim. Placer deposits typically consist of sand, gravel, or other residual material containing valu- able minerals which has become freed from the lode through natural weathering, and then transported and concentrated at a specific loca- tion. In order to stake a claim, a person is required to prove actual physi- cal discovery of the mineral being claimed. Once a claim is regis- tered, Federal law requires that claim boundaries must be distinctly and clearly described, marked, and readily identifiable, however there are also additional rules and regula- tions concerning actual staking and recording of mining claims at the State level which can vary by state. There are fees associated with recording and maintaining a claim, and can vary depending on the size and type of claim being filed. There are also various types of paperwork and other maintenance require- ments that must be kept current every year for the claim to remain actively registered. When prospecting on public lands, be aware of the claims located on the area. The presence of a loca- tion notice, claim corner markers, marked boundaries, and also recent mining activity suggest that a valid mining claim exists at that location. When claims are registered, they receive an AMC# (American Min- ing Claim #) unique to that claim, similar to a VIN # on a car or truck. Claim markers should have listed on them the AMC#, owner's name, Claim name, coordinates of the claim, and the distance and direc- tion between corner markers. If a claim is properly marked, then it should be very easy to identify it as belonging to someone and not avail- able for public prospecting. In many instances, claims have not been properly maintained, or have never been legally filed. If the fees have not been paid, or the paper- work, or mining activity have been allowed to lapse, it is possible that a staked claim is no longer active. Also, in some cases, an area may be "unofficially" claimed. In these situations, a miner will "stake out" a location and work it, but never officially register it. Sometimes claims like these can be recognized by makeshift markers, like rock cairns, pipes, or other types of markers with no identifying infor- mation accompanying the stakes to identify it as a legally registered claim. Claims that have not been maintained or legally filed may be available for prospecting and/or claiming. A BLM agent can tell you if a claim is legal and current if you provide them with an AMC#. In the absence of an AMC#, the BLM agent can look it up using section, county, and GPS coordinates for the site. In the event that the claim in question is not valid, then you are free to prospect that location, and possibly even stake a claim yourself. As you head out to play this win- ter, you will have much more fun if you stay safe and legal during your prospecting adventures. With the vast amount of public land available for prospecting, you will have no problem finding plenty of places to collect rocks or prospect for gold without violating any laws or private property. Rockhound- ing and prospecting books and maps are good resources to use, but knowledge of the law and awareness of your surroundings are equally important, especially if you are the type that likes to go off the beaten path. For books, maps, and more on prospecting and rockhounding in Quartzsite area, visit RocksInMy- Head at A37 in Rice Ranch. We are open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm though April. Our website is www.RocksInMyHead.com and our phone # is 605-376-8754. • Birth • Obituary • Anniversary Place it FREE in the: Desert Messenger! 928-916-4235 Got something to share?

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