It is your right as a citizen of the United States to purchase mine claims for sale. There are many good gold claims for sale that you can buy. However, even though the land is claimed, there is no assurance that you can find any gold in there. You have to vet your claims wisely. Here are five things to know before you buy a mining claim:
- A mining claim is not real estate. When you see mine claims for sale and you think you want to have one, be aware that you are not acquiring land like real estate. You are purchasing the exclusive rights to mine minerals on that land. The land is not yours – you cannot ban the public from camping, hunting, and fishing on your claim. The only thing they are not allowed to do is mining.
- When was the claim filed? Most mine claims for sale have existed for many years or decades. If a claim is filed just prior to the sale, ask why the original claim owner is selling so quickly. You should also check if there are signs of previous mining activity in the property. If there are none, and the claim is very young, then you can doubt the minerals available on the claim. Virgin grounds usually mean that there was not enough gold there for old-timers to bother with.
- Lode mines are expensive and need permits. Gold claims for sale that have pictures of mine shafts and ores, with old buildings and relics scattered around are usually lode mines. An old lode mine is difficult and unrealistic for new buyers. It is not like you will just buy a mine, then you can start getting gold from the ground right away. Mining ore is a challenging and expensive process. If you plan to use explosives and heavy equipment, then you need to process for permits, which can take years, sometimes even decades.
- Test the claim prior to purchase. If the seller is hesitant, then do not proceed. It’s like buying a car – you need a test drive before buying it. You should be able to sample the property to prove its worth.
- Annual fees. Paperwork and annual fees go hand in hand. Missing to file and pay every year can cause you to lose your claim, and someone else can file as easily as you lost it.
You should also check the accessibility of the area – how easy is it to get there. And beware of blown up advertising. Do not be fooled by pictures. There should be evidence of prior mining activity. Ask for its history of production, or any other evidence that gold actually exists on the claim. Also, if a seller is asking for thousands of dollars for any mine claim for sale for patenting, then they should be able to prove to you that the gold you will be able to mine there is equivalent to its price tag. Check out minesinvest.com for legitimate gold mines for sale.
