My pleasure! I remember when I started and it was a mess of rules and regulations. Hopefully I can help de-mistify some of them to those who enjoy the hobby. Cheers!
@@Thomas907 Oh man! My bad. I have a buddy in Haines whose last name is Thomas. Just a little case of mistaken identity. Haha! That said, thank you very much Thomas!! I very much appreciate the support. Cheers!!
@@AlexanderOutThere lol it's all good I figured. 👍 Your welcome bud hoping to stake a claim this spring myself. Your helped me figure a few things out. Thank you.
More or less, yes. But you can't "Paper Stake". This means you can't submit a claim via the mail without actually going out there and prospecting. (Or at least you aren't supposed to. I'm sure people do.) Be sure to double check ALL layers first though.
One of my questions is when the claim you are looking at you click on it and it says it's open but then u click on active claim the blue and red over lays it do you have that issue
Hey! I'm really sorry for the late reply. I'm not sure if I've had that problem. I may need a bit more information. Are you looking at the "Mining Claims Map" or the "Mineral Estate Map" in Alaska Mapper? The "Mineral Estate Map" will have more information, like private property and things. My rule of thumb is if the overlay is Red, or there is no layer on the property you're looking at, it's all good to prospect. Tell me more and I'll be happy to try to help. Cheers!
So anywhere that doesn't have a blue labeled claim, and not in any state leased lands is a viable option to claim? What about closed claims (abandoned)?
Hey Jordan! Yes, and yes (but it depends on the lease). Many leases are not mineral and are open to mining, such as "Agreement, Settlement, Reconveyance" leases that are used for companies that want to do business on that land. It's best to check the spot by running a Query though. And keep and eye out for Mental Health Trust land. If you're looking at an area that is managed by them, you'll need to contact them about a claim, not DNR. Closed claims are fair game as long as there isn't a blue box overlapping them. Also, be sure the "State Tentatively Approved or Patented" layer is on if you have a question to if it is Alaska State Land or BLM. BLM land is a whole different kettle of fish and you'll have to deal with the Feds if you want to go claiming any of that land. Luckily there's more AK land than US at this point. Hope this helps! Happy hunting!
@@AlexanderOutThere Thanks so much! Sorry for the noob questions... I've found a spot I'd like to claim, there are multiple closed state claims in the same area, however a green dotted State Mining Lease, covers an overwhelming part of the region, including the area i'd like to claim. Is this possible for me to claim here? From experience in the area, I can tell you nobody has worked here in years. After running a query it says "Mining lease, non - comp. and Case Status description states Null" (whatever that means?). Thanks again for your time! I'm really trying to figure this out on my own but the language and legality is difficult for me to comprehend. -Jordan
@@jordanross6286 No worries Jordan! Let's see if we can't figure it out. So the closed mining areas are no problem, but this "Green Dotted" area is interesting. The only green "dots" I see in the Alaska Mapper Legend (fourth icon down in the vertical list of icons on the left of the AK Mapper screen) are the green hashes that have to do with Prospecting Sites. That could be a problem if they are indeed prospecting sites, however, they are usually shorter in duration and if the miner doesn't convert the prospecting site to a full-fledged mining site, it'll drop off the map. Prospecting sites are just areas that someone had locked up mineral rights to for a shorter period of time, so they can get out there and prospect on without competition. Try doing a query on the green dot/dash area you're talking about, then in the cascading menu choose the one option that doesn't have anything to do with boundaries but everything to do with mining, i.e. - State Prospecting, click that, and click the ADL number that comes up pertaining to that site. This will open a new browser window and all the information pertaining to that area in the Land Administration System (LAS). Scroll down and see if there is an Expiry Date for this claim that you're looking at. That should give you an idea if it's new or old. For my new claim I had to sit and wait for the old claim holder to let it go defunct before I could swoop in and scoop it up. It took 5 years! I ope this helps, and sorry about it being a novel. If you have any other questions though, or want to delve into this area you're looking at more, please let me know! I love this stuff! Cheers!
@@AlexanderOutThere Alex so is there a way to find claims that are closed or abandoned! Without going in and checking or clicking on every single square to find out? Thanks Buddy, great video's!!
Hey @@rayon3383! Great question! I asked myself that EXACT same question a few weeks ago and am making a whole video about it at the moment. I even went so far as to call Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help clarify. The video answers the question of how people can claim-jump and how we can protect our claims from it, which will include your question about (and the answer to) finding closed and abandoned claims. To answer your question before the video comes out, yes AND no. (I know that doesn’t really help much) Apparently, people used to use certain public data to do what you’re asking in order to jump a person’s claim that had fallen into “abandonment” on a technicality. DNR said that specific info is no longer available to the public, BUT there is another way we have to look out for, and that’s what I’ll be talking about in the “claim-jumper” episode coming out after my next video. I hope this kind of helps, but stay tuned and your questions will totally be answered. Thanks for the great question! Cheers!
Thanks for doing this for us newbies very helpful
My pleasure! I remember when I started and it was a mess of rules and regulations. Hopefully I can help de-mistify some of them to those who enjoy the hobby. Cheers!
A videogame where you do this kind of stuff before exploring and eventually mining would be awesome.
Thank you. Your video was a HUGE help!
Very glad to have helped!
Cheers!
Thanks for the great tips! Keep it up bud you do a great job!
Thanks Gabe! :)
@@AlexanderOutThere Gabe?
@@Thomas907 Oh man! My bad. I have a buddy in Haines whose last name is Thomas. Just a little case of mistaken identity. Haha!
That said, thank you very much Thomas!!
I very much appreciate the support.
Cheers!!
@@AlexanderOutThere lol it's all good I figured. 👍 Your welcome bud hoping to stake a claim this spring myself. Your helped me figure a few things out. Thank you.
@@Thomas907 That's great news! Let us know how you make out! Cheers!
Change the title to Alaska mapper tutorial lol. This video was amazing, thank you!
so everywhere there is no boxs or other lines or boxs is up for grabs?
More or less, yes.
But you can't "Paper Stake". This means you can't submit a claim via the mail without actually going out there and prospecting. (Or at least you aren't supposed to. I'm sure people do.)
Be sure to double check ALL layers first though.
thanks man your vids have great info.
Petersville Rec.
Very cool place!
One of my questions is when the claim you are looking at you click on it and it says it's open but then u click on active claim the blue and red over lays it do you have that issue
Hey! I'm really sorry for the late reply.
I'm not sure if I've had that problem. I may need a bit more information.
Are you looking at the "Mining Claims Map" or the "Mineral Estate Map" in Alaska Mapper? The "Mineral Estate Map" will have more information, like private property and things.
My rule of thumb is if the overlay is Red, or there is no layer on the property you're looking at, it's all good to prospect.
Tell me more and I'll be happy to try to help.
Cheers!
Are there any plans to do an updated video on 2024 Alaska Mapper?
So anywhere that doesn't have a blue labeled claim, and not in any state leased lands is a viable option to claim? What about closed claims (abandoned)?
Hey Jordan!
Yes, and yes (but it depends on the lease).
Many leases are not mineral and are open to mining, such as "Agreement, Settlement, Reconveyance" leases that are used for companies that want to do business on that land.
It's best to check the spot by running a Query though.
And keep and eye out for Mental Health Trust land. If you're looking at an area that is managed by them, you'll need to contact them about a claim, not DNR.
Closed claims are fair game as long as there isn't a blue box overlapping them.
Also, be sure the "State Tentatively Approved or Patented" layer is on if you have a question to if it is Alaska State Land or BLM.
BLM land is a whole different kettle of fish and you'll have to deal with the Feds if you want to go claiming any of that land. Luckily there's more AK land than US at this point.
Hope this helps!
Happy hunting!
@@AlexanderOutThere Thanks so much! Sorry for the noob questions... I've found a spot I'd like to claim, there are multiple closed state claims in the same area, however a green dotted State Mining Lease, covers an overwhelming part of the region, including the area i'd like to claim. Is this possible for me to claim here? From experience in the area, I can tell you nobody has worked here in years. After running a query it says "Mining lease, non - comp. and Case Status description states Null" (whatever that means?). Thanks again for your time! I'm really trying to figure this out on my own but the language and legality is difficult for me to comprehend. -Jordan
@@jordanross6286 No worries Jordan! Let's see if we can't figure it out. So the closed mining areas are no problem, but this "Green Dotted" area is interesting. The only green "dots" I see in the Alaska Mapper Legend (fourth icon down in the vertical list of icons on the left of the AK Mapper screen) are the green hashes that have to do with Prospecting Sites.
That could be a problem if they are indeed prospecting sites, however, they are usually shorter in duration and if the miner doesn't convert the prospecting site to a full-fledged mining site, it'll drop off the map.
Prospecting sites are just areas that someone had locked up mineral rights to for a shorter period of time, so they can get out there and prospect on without competition.
Try doing a query on the green dot/dash area you're talking about, then in the cascading menu choose the one option that doesn't have anything to do with boundaries but everything to do with mining, i.e. - State Prospecting, click that, and click the ADL number that comes up pertaining to that site. This will open a new browser window and all the information pertaining to that area in the Land Administration System (LAS). Scroll down and see if there is an Expiry Date for this claim that you're looking at.
That should give you an idea if it's new or old.
For my new claim I had to sit and wait for the old claim holder to let it go defunct before I could swoop in and scoop it up. It took 5 years!
I ope this helps, and sorry about it being a novel. If you have any other questions though, or want to delve into this area you're looking at more, please let me know! I love this stuff!
Cheers!
@@AlexanderOutThere
Alex so is there a way to find claims that are closed or abandoned! Without going in and checking or clicking on every single square to find out? Thanks Buddy, great video's!!
Hey @@rayon3383! Great question!
I asked myself that EXACT same question a few weeks ago and am making a whole video about it at the moment. I even went so far as to call Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help clarify.
The video answers the question of how people can claim-jump and how we can protect our claims from it, which will include your question about (and the answer to) finding closed and abandoned claims.
To answer your question before the video comes out, yes AND no. (I know that doesn’t really help much)
Apparently, people used to use certain public data to do what you’re asking in order to jump a person’s claim that had fallen into “abandonment” on a technicality. DNR said that specific info is no longer available to the public, BUT there is another way we have to look out for, and that’s what I’ll be talking about in the “claim-jumper” episode coming out after my next video.
I hope this kind of helps, but stay tuned and your questions will totally be answered.
Thanks for the great question!
Cheers!
🙂👍