To help clarify you want to ensure what and where you are as far as land ownership goes. It is possible to have private land inside the BLM or Forest service borders. Some claims may have agreements for land access or even land use. To be on the safe side ask and research before you go.

Hope this helps

Thank you,

Also, if it says panning only, what about a dry washer.

Pete

Welcome Pete,

I have not researched this claim,
Assuming, it is a valid GPAA claim, staying within the claim boundaries, being a GPAA member in good standing, you have no worries.

Assuming, someone has designated "panning only" in printed form, panning only

It is your responsibility to know where you would like to prospect, is a valid GPAA claim or have permission from said landowner.
Not all BLM/Forest Circus land is open to mineral entry, many claims exists in area's you may want to prospect.
Researching area's other than GPAA claims (they do the work for you) is alot of work, time and energy.
Can it be done ? Yes...in fact you'd better, to stay out of trouble.

Good luck in your searches,
Bill

Im confused.... Why have a claim if you cannot get to and work it? It's confusing that anyone can have a claim on private property without the right to access and work the claim. Do we have any Lawyers in the membership?

James,

well some of our claims are leased from the landowner with agreements in place IE: panning only, no dry digging, sluice only, etc. the ground must have been good enough for the GPAA to go thru the process to get access. it just depends on the claim and what is allowed. make sure to check before you go as to what is allowed at each claim.

 

Freddie

 

Welcome James,

I think your confusing property ownership to property management ie: BLM/Forest Circus
As Freddie stated, on private property, you own the ground, it is yours, you may or may not own the mineral rights below ground.
A "patented" claim, is the same, someone owns the property and the mineral rights and can do as they wish within the jurisdiction.
A private party cant claim mineral rights on private property, in this case, one would seek permission from the land owner to prospect.
Kinda like the Friday night Gold Rush boys, most lease claims for some sort of percentage

ON the other hand, public lands managed by BLM, Forest Circus in most cases can be claimed by private people, giving them rights to minerals that may or may not be in the ground.
You dont own the land, cant build on it, the only thing a mineral claim gives you rights to are the minerals in the ground, not water rights, cant keep people off your claim except if they are mining minerals, they can camp, fish, picnic, run naked through the cacti if they wish, swim, many rules and regs
This would be considered a "placer" claim.
Under ground tunneling, blasting, rock removal would be a "hard rock" or "load" claim. Whole different set of rules and regs.
One can file a placer claim over a load claim on the same property.

In most cases, GPAA does not own the claims, they belong to others that have agreements with GPAA to use.
The claim owner can dictate what or what doesn't happen on their claims relating to mining

Hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.
Bill