A modern land run? Trump move opens Utah to mining claims under 1872 law

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

#BUSINESS NEWS JANUARY 31, 2018 / 7:08 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

A modern land run? Trump move opens Utah to mining claims under 1872 law

Valerie Volcovici
5 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw federal protections from millions of acres of Utah wilderness will reopen much of the iconic terrain to gold, silver, copper, and uranium land claims under a Wild West-era mining law, according to federal officials.

Starting at 6 a.m. on Feb. 2 – the moment Trump’s proclamation reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments takes effect – private citizens and companies will be allowed to stake claims for hard rock mining in a process governed by the General Mining Law of 1872, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The process for staking a claim remains much as it did during the Gold Rush: A prospector hammers four poles into the ground corresponding to the four points of a parcel that can be as big as 20 acres, and attaches a written description of the claim onto one of them. A prospector then has 30 days to record the claim at the local BLM office.

“We’re working on getting information and new monument maps ready for people interested in claims,” said Utah Bureau of Land Management spokesman Michael Richardson.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-utah-mining/a-modern-land-run-trump-move-opens-utah-to-mining-claims-under-1872-law-idUSKBN1FK1MA

[enough]

1. Pillage.

More from the article>

The costs of claiming are low: a $212 filing fee, and an annual maintenance fee of $150. Unlike laws governing petroleum extraction, there are no environmental guidelines specific to hard rock mining, and no requirement to pay a royalty. The claims provide prospectors mineral rights but not ownership of the land.

The law covers mining for uranium, gold, silver, copper and other precious metals, but excludes coal and petroleum.

[Wwcd]

2. Is this what Chaffetz tried to do early on with the entire Rocky Mt range?

He probably left Congress, went home & "invested" wisely, knowing what opportunities were on their way.

grrrrrr

[MineralMan]

3. That's going to change things quite a bit.

There will be a new wave of prospectors out there, looking for promising deposits. That area is full of mining potential, and if good regulation isn't maintained, it could materially damage those lands.

I wonder if this is going to get expanded into other Federal lands. Look out!

[onethatcares]

4. not much notice to the little people

Feb 2nd is but 48 hours away. I bet the big guys knew about this months ago.

Hell, 20 acres for change is a deal. and perhaps could save some of that heritage land.

[TBA]

5. I wonder if there are any Native Americans with any claims to that land?