Types of Mining Methods and Claims

Mining Methods & Claims - Page 2

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The Lavender Pit Mine in Bisbee, Arizona, Kathy Weiser, April, 2007.

Open-pit Mining - Also known as open-cast mining, open-cut mining, and strip mining, this type of mining extracts rock and minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit. The process requires the digging of large open holes as opposed to a small shaft and tunnels used in hard rock mining. Not so often utilized in the 19th century, it is a common practice today, especially with copper and coal. Because this type of mining devastates the landscape, regulations are generally in effect that requires companies to restore the environment when the mining is complete.

Types of Mining Claims and Sites on Federal Land - There are two types of mining claims -- lodes and placers, and two types of sites -- mill site and tunnel site.

Mining Claims:

Lode Claims - Deposits subject to lode claims include classic veins or lodes having well defined boundaries. They also include other rock in place bearing valuable minerals and may be broad zones of mineralized rock. Examples include quartz or other veins bearing gold or other metallic minerals and large volume but low grade disseminated metallic deposits. Federal statute limits their size to a maximum of 1,500 feet in length along the vein or lode. Their width is a maximum of 600 feet, 300 feet on either side of the centerline of the vein or lode. The end lines of the lode claim must be parallel to qualify for underground extra-lateral rights. Extra lateral rights involve the rights to minerals that extend at depth beyond the vertical boundaries of the claim.

Placer Claims - Mineral deposits subject to placer claims include all those deposits not subject to lode claims. Originally, these included only deposits of unconsolidated materials, such as sand and gravel, containing free gold or other minerals. By Congressional acts and judicial interpretations, many nonmetallic bedded or layered deposits, such as gypsum and high calcium limestone, are also considered placer deposits. The maximum size of a placer claim is 20 acres per locator. An association of two locators may locate 40 acres, and three may locate 60 acres, etc. The maximum area of an association placer claim is 160 acres for eight or more persons. The maximum size of a placer claim for corporations is 20 acres per claim. Corporations may not locate association placer claims unless they are in association with other private individuals or other corporations as co-locators.

Mining Sites:

Mill Sites: A mill site must be located on non-mineral land with its purpose being to either support a lode or placer mining claim operation or, support itself independent of any particular claim. A mill site must include the erection of a mill or reduction works and/or may include other uses reasonably incident to the support of a mining operation. Descriptions of mill sites are by metes and bounds surveys or legal subdivision. The maximum size of a mill site is 5 acres.

Tunnel Sites: A tunnel site is where a tunnel is run to develop a vein or lode. It may also be used for the discovery of unknown veins or lodes. To stake a tunnel site, two stakes are placed up to 3,000 feet apart on the line of the proposed tunnel. Recordation is the same as a lode claim. Some States require additional centerline stakes.

An individual may locate lode claims to cover any or all blind (not known to exist) veins or lodes intersected by the tunnel. The maximum distance these lode claims may exist is 1,500 feet on either side of the centerline of the tunnel. This, in essence, gives the mining claimant the right to prospect an area 3,000 feet wide and 3,000 feet long. Any mining claim located for a blind lode discovered while driving a tunnel relates back in time to the date of the location of the tunnel site.

Federal Lands Open to Mining - There are federally administered lands in 19 States where you may locate a mining claim or site. These States include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Adit at the Lucky Tiger Mine, Humboldt County, Nevada.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

In these States, the BLM manages the surface of public lands and the Forest Service manages the surface of National Forest System lands. The BLM is responsible for the subsurface on both public lands and National Forest System lands. You may prospect and locate claims and sites on lands open to mineral entry. Claims may not be staked in areas closed to mineral entry by a special act of Congress, regulation, or public land order. These areas are withdrawn from the operation of the mining laws. Before mining on any federal land, prospectors would be well advised to check first with the both the Bureau of Land Management and the state before moving forward.

Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated November, 2010.

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