Frequently asked questions

Nevada is consistently ranked as one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world for being mining-friendly and continuing to produce major discoveries. If Nevada was a country it would be the 4^th largest gold producer in the world (after Australia, China, and Russia). Nevada is home to the Carlin Trend, the Cortez Trend, the Walker Lane Trend, the Getchell Trend and many other prolific gold producing regions.

In addition to gold Nevada also has major mines producing silver, copper, lithium, iron ore, magnesium, gems and many other minerals. Nevada is 87% owned by the federal government and most of this land is available for claim staking. This means some of the best mining ground in the world is open to small prospectors – a very unique situation. There are many mining companies active in Nevada and therefore, multiple potential buyers for any discovery you make. Canadian based junior exploration companies are particularly active in Nevada.

Arizona is consistently ranked as one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world for being mining-friendly and continuing to produce major discoveries. Arizona is the largest metal mining state in the U.S. and home to many world class copper mines including Morenci, Bagdad, Sierrita, Ray, and Resolution. Arizona also has numerous gold mines and some of the biggest silver-lead-zinc discoveries (Taylor Mine). Arizona is world famous for turquoise and other semi-precious stones and lapidary materials – often found near copper mining areas. Arizona is 38% owned by the federal government and most of this land is available for claim staking. This means some of the best mining ground in the world is open to small prospectors – a very unique situation. There are many mining companies active in Arizona and therefore, multiple potential buyers for any discovery you make. Canadian based junior exploration companies are particularly active in Arizona.

Buying a claim is a great way to get started in mining and prospecting. Buying a claim that is professionally staked reduces your upfront work and the risk of making a mistake on your paperwork or in the field. Our claims are in areas with historical mining activity and most have numerous pits, shafts, and adits to explore. Finding these claims takes lots of research that is already done for you. The best place to find gold is where people have already found it!

I have been working in mineral exploration in the southwestern United States and Alaska for 20 years. I have co-founded four junior mining companies and managed numerous drilling and exploration projects. I have worked with large and small mining companies and know what types of projects they are looking for that can be advanced by small prospectors.

I have also worked on small hardrock production projects. I usually try to find claims that have known high grade veins that can be produced and that also have some exploration upside. We stand by our claims and fix any problems that come up. We can also help you with your annual filings. All our claims have a BLM serial number and can be found on the U.S. BLM MLRS website database. We hire the same professional claim staking companies that the large mining companies hire and all the claims have professionally drafted and accurate maps. We also have current assays from ALS Minerals on most of our claims.

Ownership of mining claims is transferred with a Quit Claim Deed which we prepare. We pay all claim transfer fees and file the claim transfer paperwork with the BLM and the county. The BLM takes about 2-3 weeks to process the claim transfer (Quit Claim) and register the claim in your name. The County Recorder usually takes 1-2 weeks to return the recorded Quit Claim Deed. Once the transfer is complete we will send you all the original documents including the file stamped Quit Claim Deed, the original location notices and claim maps.

The BLM charges a $200 per claim annual maintenance fee (placer claims: $200 for each 20 acres) which is due on September 1st each year. The BLM fees can be paid online through their claim management portal. The county where the claim is located also requires a Notice of Intent to Hold to be filed along with a small recording fee.

If you own less than 10 mining claims you can qualify for a waiver of the annual maintenance fee by filing a Small Miner's Waiver. However, the Small Miner's Waiver requires that you perform $100 in labor or improvements on the claim each year.

International buyers must either have dual US citizenship and a US address or have a US entity or company to own the claim.