Guides

Plain answers about mining claims

Short guides for owners of mining claims who are deciding what to do with them, and for investors who want to check a mining company’s claims for themselves. Written by a buyer of claims, so we say where our interests lie.

Start with your question

Eleven guides, each under five minutes

Claim owners · 4 min read

What makes a mining claim worth developing?

Short answer: a buyer looks first at whether the claim is valid and maintained, whether the ground can be worked under the land rules that apply, and whether there is evidence of mineralization. Geology matters, but a claim with good geology and a broken title or no permitting path is hard to advance.

What we look at, in roughly this order

  1. Good standing. Are the BLM maintenance fees or waivers current, and are the county filings in order? A claim that has lapsed is void. How good standing works.
  2. Title. Who is the claimant of record, and does the chain of location notices, recordings and transfers hold together? Co-owners, estates and unrecorded transfers take longer, but are often fixable.
  3. Land status. Is the ground open to mining under federal law, or inside a wilderness area, a Wild and Scenic River corridor or another withdrawal? Withdrawn ground cannot be staked, and existing claims there face extra limits.
  4. Access. Can crews and equipment reach the claims, in which seasons, and over whose land?
  5. Evidence of mineralization. Old workings, historical production, sample results, past reports and the regional geology. Historical figures are a reason to look, not proof of what is there today.
  6. Permitting path. Which federal, state and county rules apply to the work needed next, including water, reclamation and cultural resources.
  7. Size and shape. Whether the claims cover enough connected ground to support a program, alone or with neighbouring claims.

What does not decide it

The number of claims on its own, nearby famous mines, and estimates that were not prepared to a current standard. They can all be useful context, and none of them is a substitute for the checks above.

We are a buyer of claims, so we have an interest in this question. This guide describes what we look at. It is not a valuation of your claims and is not legal advice.

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Claim owners · 3 min read

I inherited mining claims. What now?

Short answer: first find out whether the claims are still active, who the claimant of record is and when the next September 1 deadline falls. Then decide whether to keep them, transfer them or let them go, before the next fee is due.

Find the claims

Unpatented claims on federal land are listed in the BLM’s Mining and Land Records System (MLRS). You can search by the claimant’s name or by serial number, and an old BLM letter or county recording often shows the serial number. How to check a claim yourself

Check the next deadline

Each claim needs the BLM maintenance fee, or a small miner waiver, by September 1 every year, plus any county filing your state requires. A waiver is available only to holders of 10 or fewer claims, and it requires at least $100 of assessment work on each claim each year, recorded on time. Filing a waiver without doing the work does not keep a claim. If no payment or valid waiver is made, the claim is forfeited.

Become the claimant of record

Until a transfer is recorded with the county and filed with the BLM, notices go to the person named in the records. An estate may first need to be settled through probate or another process, depending on the state and how the claims were held. An attorney in the state where the claims sit can tell you what is needed.

Decide what to do

You can keep the claims and keep paying, sell them, option them, keep a royalty, partner with a developer, or let them lapse. Once a claim is forfeited, the ground may be open for anyone to locate. Compare sale, option, royalty and joint venture

General information, not legal advice. Source: BLM, 2027 mining claim season fees. Rules and fees change; confirm them with the BLM and the county recorder.

Not sure what you have? Send what you know, even just a name or an old letter.

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Claim owners · 3 min read

How do I keep my claim in good standing?

Short answer: for unpatented claims on federal land, pay the BLM annual maintenance fee, or file a small miner waiver if you qualify, on or before September 1 each year, and make any county filings your state requires. Missing the federal deadline can make the claim void.

The federal maintenance fee

For the assessment year that began September 1, 2026, the BLM fee is $200 per lode claim, mill site or tunnel site, and $200 for each 20 acres, or portion of 20 acres, of a placer claim. It is paid to the BLM on or before September 1 for the year ahead. Newly located claims also pay a location fee and a processing fee when they are recorded.

The small miner waiver

If you and your related parties hold 10 or fewer claims and sites nationwide, you may file a waiver instead of paying the fee, by the same September 1 deadline. A waiver requires at least $100 of assessment work on each claim each year, and evidence of that work has to be recorded. Check the current BLM requirements before relying on a waiver.

County filings

Most western states also require a filing with the county recorder, such as a notice of intent to hold or an affidavit of labor, with their own deadlines. Ask the county recorder where the claims sit.

What happens if a payment is missed

Under federal law, a claim without a timely fee payment or waiver is forfeited. The claim becomes void, and the ground may become open for anyone to locate. There is very limited room to cure a missed payment, so treat September 1 as a hard date.

Source: BLM, 2027 mining claim season fees. Fees are adjusted from time to time; confirm the amount for the current year with the BLM.

If keeping claims up has become a burden, there may be another way.

Compare your options

Claim owners · 4 min read

Sale, option, royalty or joint venture: which fits?

Short answer: a sale pays you now and ends your involvement. An option pays you while the buyer explores, with the sale later if they go ahead. A royalty trades some money now for a share of any future production. A joint venture keeps you as a partner, sharing costs and results.

Comparison of deal structures for mining claims
StructureWhat you receiveWhat you keepMain trade-off
SaleA price, paid at closing or in instalmentsNothing, unless a royalty is addedCertainty now, no share of later success
OptionOption payments while the buyer explores, then the price if they exerciseTitle, until the option is exercisedThe buyer may walk away; the payments are usually yours to keep
RoyaltyOften a smaller upfront payment, then a share of production revenue or profitAn ongoing interest in the claims’ outputRoyalties pay only if a mine is built and produces
Joint ventureA share of results in proportion to your interestAn ownership interest and a sayYou may need to fund your share of costs, or be diluted

Structures can be combined, for example a sale with a retained royalty, or an option that converts to a joint venture. The right answer depends on whether you need money now, how much risk you want to keep, and how involved you want to be.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Any agreement with Triple 8 would be set out in writing after a title review, and you should have your own adviser review it.

Not sure which suits you? You can choose “Open to discussion” on the form.

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Claim owners · 2 min read

What should I gather before I talk to a buyer?

Short answer: the BLM serial numbers, the recorded location notices, proof of the last maintenance payment or waiver, and anything that shows what is on the ground. You do not need all of it to start a conversation.

  • BLM serial numbers (MLRS case numbers) for each claim.
  • Location notices and county recordings, including any transfers since the claims were located.
  • Maintenance records: fee receipts or waiver filings, and any county affidavits.
  • Maps and coordinates: claim maps, GPS points, photos of corner posts and monuments.
  • Technical material: sample results, assays, old reports, photos of workings, production records.
  • Ownership papers: who else holds an interest, and any estate, partnership or company documents.
  • Agreements: any existing royalty, lease, option or promise made to someone else.

Keep originals. Copies or photos are enough for a first review, and you can ask for a non-disclosure agreement before sharing technical data.

Have only some of this? That is normal.

Send what you have

Claim owners · 4 min read

Is this offer real? Eight questions to ask any buyer

Short answer: a serious buyer checks your title before talking price, puts real money behind any exclusivity, and can tell you exactly what its number is based on. Be careful with any large offer made before sampling, drilling or a technical report, especially one that asks you to tie up your claims while you wait.

Claim owners are often approached with large numbers and short timelines. Before you sign anything, ask:

  1. What is the price based on? A surface scan or other remote survey can suggest where to explore. It cannot establish what is in the ground. Under SEC rules, a mineral resource can be stated only from a technical report signed by a Qualified Person, which usually needs sampling and drilling first.
  2. Who signs the technical work? Ask for the geologist’s name and licence, and check it with the state board or professional body.
  3. Is money paid now, or only promised later? An option or deposit should come with payments you keep, whatever happens next.
  4. Are you asked for exclusivity? If so, what are you paid for it, how long does it last, and what happens if the buyer walks away?
  5. Who pays the BLM fees in the meantime? If the answer is you, the claims are still costing you while someone else controls them.
  6. Can the buyer show proof of funds? A buyer promising a large payment should be able to show it can make it.
  7. Is everything in a written agreement your own attorney has reviewed? Verbal promises about future payments are not terms.
  8. Does the buyer check your title before talking price? A serious buyer always does, because a price means nothing until it knows what it is buying.

Three more for the long run

What happens to the claims, and to you, if the buyer drops them, stops work or goes out of business? How is any royalty figured, and how will you see the numbers? If an option ends, what data from the buyer’s work comes back to you? The answers belong in the written agreement. If they are not there, ask why.

The risk most owners miss

The usual problem is not a check that never arrives. It is the exclusivity or option signed while waiting for it. That can take your claims off the market for months while someone tries to resell them, and you may still be paying to hold them.

How we answer these

We do not quote a price before a title review and a look at the data. We answer each of these questions in writing, and any agreement is set out in full for your own attorney to review. If another buyer offers you more, with real money, real terms and no lock-up, take it. We will tell you so.

We are a buyer of claims too, so we have an interest in this question. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and it does not describe or refer to any particular buyer.

Weighing an offer and want a second opinion on how it is structured?

Talk to the acquisitions team

Claim owners · 3 min read

My claim lapsed. Is there anything left to do?

Short answer: a claim forfeited for a missed fee is generally void, so there is usually no claim left to sell. What you may still have is knowledge of the ground and records that are hard to find elsewhere.

Once a claim is forfeited, the ground may become open to new location by anyone, including the former owner, if the land is still open to mining. Whether that is possible depends on current land status, which can change.

Your sample results, maps, photos, old reports and knowledge of access and workings can still be useful to whoever works the ground next. Tell us what happened and what you hold. We will say plainly whether there is anything to discuss.

General information, not legal advice. If you believe a claim was forfeited in error, speak to a mining lawyer promptly.

Tell us what you have.

Contact the acquisitions team

Owners and investors · 3 min read

How do I check a mining claim myself?

Short answer: search the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS) by serial number or claim name. Its serial register page shows who the claimant is, whether the claim is active, where it is, and when the next fee is due.

What to look for on a serial register page

  • Case disposition: Active, or Closed. A closed claim no longer exists.
  • Customer and interest: who the claimant of record is.
  • Land description: meridian, township, range, section and quarter section.
  • Actions: the location date, recording, and each maintenance payment, with dates.
  • Next payment due date: when the next fee or waiver is due.

An example you can check

The 49 AMI placer claims at Glendale, Nevada carry BLM serial numbers NV105806182 through NV105806230. On BLM’s register pages, run October 6, 2026, all 49 show as active, with maintenance fees for the 2027 assessment year paid on July 29, 2026 and the next payment due September 1, 2027. The full list is on the AMI claim group page.

Sources: BLM MLRS research reports; BLM MLRS mining claims map layer.

See every claim the company holds or is staking.

Portfolio

Investors · 4 min read

What is an S-K 1300 technical report, and why does it matter?

Short answer: it is the SEC’s standard for how a company reporting to the SEC describes its mining properties. Mineral resources and reserves can be disclosed only on the basis of a technical report summary prepared by a qualified person. Until one exists, a company should not state ounces, grades or tonnages.

Who prepares it

A qualified person: a mineral industry professional with at least five years of relevant experience and an eligible professional licence or membership in a recognized professional organization. The qualified person signs the report and takes responsibility for it.

What it classifies

Mineral resources are classed, in rising order of confidence, as inferred, indicated or measured. Mineral reserves are the part of measured and indicated resources that can be mined economically, shown by at least a pre-feasibility study. Historical estimates prepared to older or foreign standards are not resources under these rules.

Why it matters to an investor

It turns a claim from a story into a disclosed, independently signed figure that underwriters, exchanges and lenders can rely on. It is also why this website does not quote ounces for the company’s claims, including historical estimates.

Where Triple 8 stands

On the AMI placer claims, a phased program by Arowe toward an S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary with a mineral resource estimate, engaged by Anything Media, Inc. (“AMI”), is underway; AMI has funded Stage 1 and authorizes each later stage at its discretion, with a working target of February/March 2027. On the Buckingham claims, an exploratory report is planned, subject to funding. No mineral resources or reserves have been disclosed.

Source: 17 CFR subpart 229.1300 (Regulation S-K).

See how the company plans to use these reports.

Investment Case

Investors · 3 min read

How does a gold claim become a mine?

Short answer: slowly, in stages, and usually not at all. A claim is a right to explore, not proof of gold. A project has to be explored, drilled and tested, documented in a technical report, permitted, financed and built, and it can stop at any step. Most exploration projects never reach production.

The seven stages

Acquire, explore, drill and test, technical report, permit and finance, build and produce, then reclaim and close. Each stage costs more than the one before it, and each can confirm or end the project.

What decides whether it pays

Grade (how much gold per ton), recovery (how much of it the process captures) and scale (how much material can be handled each day). A high gold price helps, but it does not rescue a deposit that is too small, too low in grade or too hard to process.

What has changed

The price of gold has risen sharply since 2020, driven in part by historically high central-bank buying. Mining costs have risen too, and prices can fall as fast as they rose. Better tools have made testing ground cheaper, and federal policy has moved to speed up permitting; neither puts gold in the ground or guarantees a permit.

General industry information as of October 23, 2026, not a description of any Triple 8 property. Sources are listed in the full summary.

Read the full primer, with the numbers and sources.

How mining works PDF

Investors · 4 min read

Investing in a junior gold company? Eight questions to ask

Short answer: look for evidence, not enthusiasm. A serious exploration company has a report signed by a Qualified Person before it quotes any ounces, names its related parties, dates its milestones, has an independent auditor and sells its shares only through proper offering documents.

A rising gold price does not lift every junior company. Juniors have no production, their shares trade thinly or not at all, and repeated fundraising or long permitting can leave early investors behind even when gold does well. Judge the company, not the metal. Before you invest, ask:

  1. Has a Qualified Person signed a report? Under SEC rules, mineral resources can be stated only from a technical report summary signed by a Qualified Person. Be wary of ounces, grades or dollar values quoted without one.
  2. Does it name its related parties? Deals with officers, directors and their companies are common in small companies. They should be disclosed by name, with their terms.
  3. What will dilution cost you? Ask for the capitalization table, how many times the company expects to raise money, and what each raise does to your share.
  4. Where does the money go first? Ask how much goes to claims and technical work, and how much to overhead and promotion, and how officers are paid.
  5. Do the officers own shares? Management that owns shares rises and falls with you. Management paid only in salary and options does not, in the same way.
  6. Are its milestones dated, and has it met the earlier ones? A dated plan lets you check progress. A company that only describes potential gives you nothing to check.
  7. Who audits it? A company preparing for a listing needs financial statements audited by a firm registered with the PCAOB.
  8. How is the offering made? A proper offering uses written offering documents, verifies that investors are accredited where required, and is prepared with securities counsel. Unsolicited calls, guaranteed returns and pressure to decide quickly are warning signs.

How we answer these

Our answers are on this website and in the offering documents. No resource is claimed on any property before a Qualified Person signs a report. Related parties are named on the Governance page. The uses of proceeds and officer compensation are set out in the private placement memorandum, which also summarizes the company’s capitalization; the full capitalization table is available on request. The founder shares are held by the officers and directors or entities they control. Milestones are dated on the Investment Case. Semple, Marchal & Cooper, LLP, a PCAOB-registered firm, has been selected as auditor. The offering is made only through the offering documents, to verified accredited investors.

We are an exploration company raising capital, so we have an interest in this question. This guide is general information, not investment advice, and it does not describe or refer to any other company. Nothing on this website is an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security.

Want to see how Triple 8 answers each of these in detail?

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Have a question these guides do not answer?

Claim owners can ask the acquisitions team. Investors can ask investor relations. Either way you get a direct answer.