Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about buying, owning, and transferring mining claims through Harris Mining.
Buying a Claim
What exactly am I buying when I purchase a mining claim?
An unpatented mining claim grants you the exclusive right to explore and extract valuable minerals from a parcel of federal land, subject to BLM regulations and annual maintenance fees. You are buying that right and any improvements, not the underlying surface title.
How are claims verified before they are listed?
We check every claim ourselves before it's listed — against current BLM LR2000 records and county recorder filings — to confirm it is active, properly located, and free of conflicting claims. We also review the most recent assessment work and maintenance-fee status.
What does a typical claim cost?
Listings on Harris Mining generally range from about $5,000 to $50,000 depending on acreage, mineralization, access, and location. Each listing shows the full price with no hidden buyer's premium.
Prospecting & Working a Claim
How long has Harris Mining been working these claims?
Since 1980. Gold had jumped to between $600 and $850 an ounce, and I was living in Mount Shasta. Prospectors were coming up from Southern California to find gold, but most didn't know where to look — or how to stay off someone else's claim. I learned how to tell whether a claim was active, inactive, or open to stake, and the family has worked this ground ever since.
Do these claims actually produce gold?
They do. Back in the 1980s, when dredging was still allowed, I worked underwater, vacuuming gravel down to the hardpan and bedrock where gold settles. One patch of brick-red hardpan — about five inches thick and three feet square, sitting a couple of feet under the river gravel — was packed with nuggets, from a half-inch to over an inch. Watching them go up the dredge nozzle was a feeling I've never matched; some sat right in the red clay and I'd pick them out by hand. River dredging isn't permitted anymore, but that's the kind of ground these claims sit on.
I'm new to prospecting — what should I expect, and what gear do I need?
Since river dredging is no longer allowed, the approach is different now. First you need a place to work — your own 20-acre claim, or a gold-club membership. After that, knowing where the gold sits on your ground is everything. The fastest, easiest way to find it is a metal detector made for gold: a good one quickly shows you the spots where the heavy metals drop out, better than any other method.
Do you confirm there's actually gold on a claim before selling it?
Yes — we've walked every claim we sell and confirmed the gold ourselves before it ever goes up. We make sure the ground is properly recorded and free of conflicting claims, then get out in the field to confirm there's real gold there, not just paperwork. You're buying ground we know firsthand and stand behind.
What's the most common mistake first-time claim buyers make?
Buying ground you can only work by dredging — since river dredging is no longer allowed, that gold stays out of reach. Look for a claim where you can find gold without it. A few things that help any beginner: get a good metal detector made for gold; spend about $20 on simple tools to work gold out of the crevices between rocks; and watch Jeff Williams on YouTube — he teaches a lot.
Ownership & Maintenance
What ongoing obligations come with owning a claim?
Unpatented claims require an annual maintenance fee paid to the BLM (currently about $200 per claim, or assessment work for qualifying small claimants) and an annual filing with the county and BLM by the September 1 deadline. We provide a maintenance checklist with every transfer.
Can I build a cabin or live on my claim?
A mining claim conveys mineral rights, not residential rights. Occupancy is only permitted when it is reasonably incident to active mining and must comply with BLM surface-use regulations. Always confirm with the managing BLM field office before placing structures.
BLM Fees & the Small-Miner Waiver
How much does it cost to keep a mining claim each year?
The BLM charges an annual maintenance fee — currently $200 per claim for lode, mill site, and tunnel claims (placer claims are $200 for each 20 acres or portion thereof) — due on or before September 1 each year. The BLM adjusts these fees periodically, so we confirm the current amount with you. Most people who buy a single claim never pay it, though — they qualify for the small-miner maintenance fee waiver below.
Do I qualify for the small-miner maintenance fee waiver?
You qualify if you and all related parties hold 10 or fewer mining claims nationwide — which covers nearly everyone buying a single claim from us. You file a Maintenance Fee Waiver Certification (BLM Form 3830-2) on or before September 1, and it waives the $200-per-claim maintenance fee entirely. The first year you hold the claim — or the first time you file the waiver — you also file a one-time Notice of Intent to Hold.
If I take the waiver, what do I have to do each year instead?
In place of the fee, you complete the annual assessment work the law requires (typically at least $100 of labor or improvements per claim) and file an Affidavit of Assessment — or a Notice of Intent to Hold — with the BLM by December 30, along with a $15-per-claim processing fee. We hand you the forms, BLM serial numbers, and exact deadlines with every transfer so nothing lapses.
Transfers & Payment
How is the transfer handled?
Once terms are agreed, we prepare the quitclaim deed and the BLM/county transfer filings on your behalf. Most transfers complete within a few business days, compared to the months it can take through traditional courthouse research.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept bank wire and ACH for claim purchases. Funds are held until the recorded transfer documents are confirmed, protecting both buyer and seller.
Do you offer refunds?
Because claim transfers are recorded with government agencies, sales are final once documents are filed. So call us before you buy — we'll answer anything we can, and if a claim isn't right for you, we'll say so.
Still have questions?
Most people do — and they're usually easier to answer over the phone. Call before you buy, or just to talk through whether a claim makes sense for you. We'd rather talk you out of the wrong claim than into it.
Give Clark a Call — (530) 610-4391