From the Division of Lands, Minerals & Resources in the BLM Alaska State Office MINING ON PUBLIC LANDS IN ALASKAMore than 75% of the Federal land in Alaska is closed to mining because it is located in National Parks, Preserves, Monuments, Wildlife Refuges, or other areas withdrawn from mineral entry. Of the remaining lands open to mineral entry (staking mining claims) potentially valuable areas are often already claimed. So, the first step in staking a mining claim is thorough research into the land status to determine whether the land is available for mineral entry and whether it is already claimed. There are several steps to determine whether lands are open to mining: First you must determine the general area(s) in which you are interested. Information is available from the U.S. Geological Survey or other sources to help you find potentially valuable areas;
The next step is to identify the legal description of the land. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land records in Alaska are based on the rectangular system of survey and kept on microfilm catalogued by Meridian, Township, Range, and Section. There are five meridians and approximately 18,600 townships in Alaska. The legal description (Meridian, Township, Range, and Section) may be obtained from the pertinent topographical map available for view in the BLM's Anchorage or Fairbanks Public Information Centers. Alternatively, the maps may be purchased from a U.S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) Center;
Once you have determined the specific location and land description, the BLM can then help you determine if the land is open for mining. Unfortunately, there are no definitive maps (other than the Master Title Plats (MTPs) for each individual township) that provide accurate depictions of land status suitable for use in staking mining claims. The MTPs are available for view in the BLM Public Information Center (note that mining claims are not shown on the MTPs but are listed in the BLM's computerized Land Information System);
Finally, after determining the location and land status and before prospecting on the ground, we highly recommend that you do a search of the BLM Land Information System for any mining claims already staked in the immediate area and then review the location notices in pertinent casefiles to verify the location and avoid "claim jumping."
BLM Fact Sheet - Maintenance and Location Fee RequirementsA. All mining claims and sites located on or after August 11, 1993 and on or before September 30, 1998 must pay at the time of recording, a $25 location fee, a $100 maintenance fee (to cover the assessment year of location), and a $10 service charge (recording fee). B. Who is not required to pay the maintenance fee(s) by August 31,1994 and each August 31st thereafter through August 31, 1998. A small miner, a mineral patent applicant who has been issued the first half of the mineral entry final certificate, or a claimant who has filed a petition for or received a deferment of assessment work. A small miner must complete his 1994 assessment work in order to qualify for a waiver for the 1995 assessment year. The waiver for the 1995 assessment year must be filed in the BLM State Office by August 31, 1994. A claimant who has been denied physical access to his claims/sites on National Park System or other Federal agency lands. Proof of denial of physical access by the Federal agency must be filed with the proper BLM State Office by each August 31st with a list of affected claims/sites. A claimant whose claims/sites are in final reclamation status only and who has no further intent to mine, process, or dispose of minerals or mineral products on the affected claims or sites. Proof of such status must be filed with the proper BLM State Office by each August 31st as a certified statement with a list of claims and sites under going final reclamation.
C. When to pay the maintenance fee. All maintenance fees are paid in advance for the upcoming assessment year. The maintenance fee must be paid in the BLM State Office* where the claim/sites are recorded on or before the 31st of August immediately preceding the assessment year for which the fees are due.
* Proper BLM Office means the Bureau of Land Management State Office listed in 1821.2-1 (d) of this title (43 CFR 3833.0-5 (g)), in Alaska, the Fairbanks BLM Office, having jurisdiction over the area in which the claims or sites are located.
D. What to provide with payment of maintenance fee. Cash, check, or credit card acceptable to BLM. We currently take Visa and Mastercard. Checks are made payable to DOI - Bureau of Land Management. A written list of claim/site names and BLM serial numbers for which the maintenance fee is being paid, and the assessment year paid for.
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