Claim owners · Nevada
Selling mining claims in Nevada
Nevada holds more active mining claims than any other state, about 47% of all claims on BLM land. Selling one means keeping two calendars, the BLM’s September 1 fee and the county’s November 1 affidavit, and recording the deed with the county before filing it with the BLM in Reno.
Before you sell
What to check for Nevada claims
| BLM office | BLM Nevada State Office, Reno |
|---|---|
| Federal fee | BLM maintenance fee of $200 per lode claim, or per 20 acres of placer, by September 1 each year, or a small miner waiver if you hold 10 or fewer claims. |
| County filing each year | An affidavit of labor or an affidavit of intent to hold, recorded with the county recorder on or before November 1 (NRS 517.230). The recorder also collects $10 per claim in state fees ($6 + $4) on top of the county’s recording fee. |
| New locations | Certificate of location recorded with the county within 90 days, or the claim is void (NRS 517.050), with a claim map filed within 90 days of posting (NRS 517.040). A copy goes to the BLM within 90 days of location. |
| Transfers | Conveyed with the same formalities as other real property and recorded with the county (NRS 517.370), then filed with the BLM. |
| Permits and reclamation | NDEP Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation: reclamation permits and bonds for exploration, mining and milling that disturb more than 5 acres. |
| Commonly claimed | Gold, silver, copper and lithium, plus barite, gypsum and other industrial minerals. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm them with the BLM and the county recorder before relying on them.
How a sale of Nevada claims usually works
- Check each claim on the BLM’s records system: active, claimant of record, and next fee date. How to check a claim.
- Confirm with the county recorder that the November 1 affidavits were recorded each year.
- Gather certificates of location, claim maps, deeds, BLM receipts and any sample or production records.
- Agree the structure and terms in writing: sale, option, royalty or partnership.
- Every claimant of record signs the deed; it is recorded with the county recorder where the claims sit.
- File the recorded deed with the BLM state office, with a processing fee per claim for each new owner. The BLM does not recognize the buyer until the transfer is filed, and keeps treating the seller as the owner of record.
- Agree who pays the next September 1 BLM fee and records the next November 1 affidavit.
Things that trip up Nevada sellers
- The BLM and county deadlines are separate. Meeting one does not meet the other.
- For small miner waiver claims, filing a notice of intent to hold when an affidavit of annual assessment work is required can forfeit the claim, the Nevada Division of Minerals warns.
- Claims in a late owner’s name cannot be sold until the estate is settled and the transfer recorded.
Triple 8 in Nevada
Triple 8 holds four of the 49 AMI placer claims at Glendale, Nevada. Their serial numbers and BLM records are on the AMI claim group page.
Sources: NRS chapter 517; Nevada Division of Minerals, mining claim filing requirements; BLM, mining in Nevada; BLM, 2027 mining claim season fees; 43 CFR part 3833 (recording and transfers). General information, not legal advice.
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