Determine Land Status

Before you can locate or "stake" a claim, a determination must be made if the lands are open to mineral entry.  No claims can be staked in areas closed to mineral entry under certain acts, regulations, or public land orders. The BLM refers to these as withdrawn lands. Colorado land and mineral status records are available to research in the public room located at the Colorado State Office.  Many of these records are also available on-line at the BLM, General Land Office Federal Land Patents site. 

On federal land open to mineral entry, one may prospect and properly locate claims and sites. If the land has already been claimed, you may want to find another location. Information on unpatented mining claims can be obtained in BLM's LR2000 System.

To assist in your research, we have BLM Surface Management and Surface & Mineral Management maps (1:100,000 scale) which depict surface ownership and federally owned mineral rights.  These maps may be purchased for $4.00, additional infomation is available on the Map Information site.   

Stake the Claim

The mining claim corners must be clearly marked or staked.  Federal law requires that claim corners must be distinctly and clearly marked to be readily identifiable.

Colorado law requires additional stakes, the state requirements for marking boundaries is explained in the Circular No.3.

Figure 1. Example of Methods of Monumenting Mining Claims. Drawing of an ideal lode mining claim (Metes and Bounds survey method).

Figure 2. Most state laws require conspicuous and substantial monuments for all types of claims and sites.

Note: It is BLM policy to not use perforated or uncapped pipe as a monument.

Certificate of Location

Recording of a mining claim or site is documented on a certificate of location.  In Colorado there is no official form designed for this purpose. Claimants may use forms available through other states, or create a certificate of location to meet the state and federal requirements. 

The federal regulations (43 CFR 3833.11) state that a certificate of location must include the following information:

1. The name or number, or both, of the claim or site;
2. The names and current mailing addresses of the locators of the claim;
3. The type of claim or site;
4. The date of location; and
5. A complete description of the lands you have claimed.

Certificates of location must be recorded at the BLM Colorado State Office within 90 days from the date the claim is located. 

Also, in Colorado, the deadline for recording in the county recorder's office in which the claim is located is 30 days for placer claims, and 90 days for lode claims  (Circular No.3 & 43 CFR 3833.11).

Required Fees to Locate Mining Claims & Sites.

• $34 Location Fee (refundable)
• $15 Processing Fee (non refundable)
• $140 Maintenance Fee (refundable)**

Total Fees Required: $189 **

**Notice to Mining Claimants Regarding Maintenance Fee**

The total fees required listed above is a base cost for a new mining claims or site.  The fee has increased for association placer claims to $140 per 20 acres.  BLM Interim Final Rule Regarding Placer Mining Claim Maintenance Fees was published in the Federal Register Vol. 77, No. 145, effective July 27, 2012.  More information is available at: http://blm.gov/vlkd

Other Helpful Links:

• Abandoned Mine Lands
• BLM General Land Office Records
• BLM LR2000 System
• Location Certificate Forms (forms may be changed to indicate state in which the claim is located):
  • Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources, Division of Minerals
  • Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources
• GeoCommunicator
• State of Colorado regulations on locating mining claims and sites (Circular No.3).
• Mining Claims and Sites Frequently Asked Questions