Mineral prospecting

[josephusminimus]

Guess I shouldn't of use the word (expert).<br /><br />How about experience.<br /><br />Or done it, a few times?<br /><br />Anything......

Done it a good bit.<br /><br />I'm actually figuring on filing a mineral claim or three in New Mexico at some prime camping locations to establish the right to build a permanent storage 'tool' shed, assuming the rules and regs BLM and USFS enforce regarding mining claims haven't changed while I wasn't paying attention.<br /><br />But as for prospecting, I enjoy doing it and plan to do some for platinum as I described somewhere else on the forum.&nbsp; My main interest in gold involves a lost gold mine.&nbsp; Not easy for me to imagine being out there without doing some more searching for it after the dust settles a bit.

 

[josephusminimus]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Question; Isn't the gold metal detector, just a TR detector? I remember back when I had my gold master 66 TR, it would find mineral. On my White's 6000 Di, there's 4 setting, one being TR Disc. It can be used like the old gold master I had. I always tell friends the 6000 Di is four metal detectors in one. The TR setting, will get targets very deep and you don't has to swing.<br /><br />Yeah, I read about the East being the first gold rush area.<br />I like the west, don't think it would be quiet as crowded. <br />I also been interested in buying gold claim, I read you should do a lot of research before attacking this one.<br /><br />I would of went to youtube.com long time ago, but my computer been having problem and it keeps giving error codes. I would of had photos, problems problems. Have a good day.....

<br /><br />I suppose I should point out, once a person has a gold claim and is working it, probably 'prospecting' is a misnomer.&nbsp; Presumably a gold claim bought would involve production, as opposed to prospecting.&nbsp; On the other hand, there's nothing to keep a prospector from filing a claim on a site where he believes there's promise, providing the US Department of Interior owns the mineral rights on the site and provided the status of the site isn't 'special', such as a wilderness area, wilderness study area, home of endangered species, that sort of thing.&nbsp; <br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mining_Act_of_1872">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mining_Act_of_1872</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/general_mining_law_of_1872">http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/general_mining_law_of_1872</a><br /><br /><a href="http://goldplacer.com/1872MiningLaw.htm">http://goldplacer.com/1872MiningLaw.htm</a>

 

[gojo]

I see that mining claims in California, maintenance fee, filed prior to July 2012 were $140 yearly for every 20 acres or portion there of contained in the claim.<br />Wonder how much more it's in that state now.<br />Do you know what all the fees in Arizona or New Mexico is? Guess I'll search for BLM site in that state.<br />You could call that property tax in your own terms.<br /><br />I was reading somewhere that some gold has been found near Llano. I told my wife maybe we need to drive to west Texas and hit some of these dry creek beds. Might be the first to find gold there. LOL

 

[josephusminimus]

I see that mining claims in California, maintenance fee, filed prior to July 2012 were $140 yearly for every 20 acres or portion there of contained in the claim.<br />Wonder how much more it's in that state now.<br />Do you know what all the fees in Arizona or New Mexico is? Guess I'll search for BLM site in that state.<br />You could call that property tax in your own terms.<br /><br />I was reading somewhere that some gold has been found near Llano. I told my wife maybe we need to drive to west Texas and hit some of these dry creek beds. Might be the first to find gold there. LOL

Morning to you. Yeah, they've been pulling a little gold up around Llano for some while.&nbsp; Mostly fine gold eroded off the decomposing pre-Cambrian granite.<br /><br />I don't think you'll find much difference in the costs of filing and maintaining mineral claims on Federal lands in any of the states.&nbsp; The main differences I've found, say between AZ and NM, involve access to the lands and the amount of public employee scrutiny you'll have after the claim's on record.<br /><br />The place to check on filing claims, records of the thousands of claims filed in the past now gone back because the annual maintenance fees weren't paid, whatever, is off Sawmill Road in Santa Fe.&nbsp; Worth a trip there if you are in the area, worth searching the records on whatever piece of real estate interests you.&nbsp; I thinks&nbsp; it's the fed BLM office for NM, but my mind's fuzzy on the issue.&nbsp; Been a decade and some change since I was in there.

 

[josephusminimus]

Texas Heatwave:&nbsp; If you'd be satisfied looking for gold around the Llano uplift, but only finding small stuff, micron gold, or nothing, it would be a fun place to do it.&nbsp; That country around there is worth the price of admission just sight seeing and camping.<br /><br />My personal thought is a person might do better insofar as actually finding anything by going further west to the Guadalupe Mountains north of Fort Stockton area.&nbsp; There's actually a legend of a lost gold mine in there somewhere.

 

[BamaDuke]

A buddy and I have a claim in southern New Mex.&nbsp; We do OK.&nbsp; The pic is one day's work.&nbsp; Yeah, the round thing is a quarter.

 

[BamaDuke]

I have a little more time now.&nbsp; <br><br>Our claim in New Mexico is on BLM land, and most of the "good" areas are claimed.&nbsp; The claim gives us the right to mine minerals on that particular piece of property.&nbsp; No one else can legally do that, without our written permission.&nbsp; We have never (in 9 years) been asked for any paperwork, but there are people who guard their claims fervently.&nbsp; Almost any claimant would give almost any person permission to dig around on his claim, but you have to ask beforehand.&nbsp; We spent a good bit of money getting and keeping the claim, and we would not appreciate someone setting up without asking first. <br><br>Texas has almost no public land, but there are several places around Llano to prospect.&nbsp; The Round Rock Chapter of the GPAA (Gold Prospectors Assoc of America) is the best source of up to date info.&nbsp; They have a nice website. <br><br>The diamond mine in Arkansas is my next destination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Crater of Diamonds State Park.&nbsp;It's just too cold now <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>Bama<br><br>

 

[kmykimi]

Green hand metal detecting lover here. All I found these two months are several unknown coins. How about you guys? What did you achieve during these day? What do you use for your <span style="color: #333300;">metal detecting</span>.

 

[BamaDuke]

I have 3 detectors, all specially designed&nbsp;for Gold.&nbsp; A Garret, a Fisher, and a White's.&nbsp; There is an old saying, "Beware of the man with one rifle".&nbsp; I believe that is the key.&nbsp; Pick a detector, and use the heck out of it.&nbsp; I do find things with all 3 of mine, but I really wish I had bought the best first and just kept practicing.&nbsp; If you use yours every other weekend for 6 months, you will be an expert.&nbsp; You will "Know" what's down there before you dig.&nbsp; While 90% of what you find will be trash, the other 10% will be Treasure <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>Good Luck, and keep new batteries in it!&nbsp; LOL<br><br>Bama<br><br>

 

[Southwest]

I'm in New Mexico ,although i haven't bought a claim yet i have learned some things from this site-<br><a href="http://www.goldrushexpeditions.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.goldrushexpeditions.com/</a>