A locatable mineral refers to mineral deposits that can be mined through the process of making a mining claim on public lands.
One of the stipulations of filing a hardrock or placer mining claim is that the mineral deposits found in the area must be considered a locatable mineral. This typically includes most metallic mineral deposits and certain non metallic and industrial minerals.
The laws of a “locatable mineral” are set by the Mining Law of 1872 and its amendments and is a set of federal law governing which mineral deposits may be open for mining claim location.
WHAT DEFINES A LOCATABLE MINERAL?
A locatable mineral includes the following:
- It is recognized as a mineral by the scientific community or standard experts.
- It has been found on Federal lands open to mineral entry.
- Make the land more valuable for mining than for farming.
WHAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE LOCATABLE MINERALS?
There are several locatable minerals available for acquisition through the General Mining Law of 1872 and its amendments. However, uncommon minerals are approved on a case-by-case basis based on project specific economics, making it difficult to put together a complete list of locatable minerals. A BLM Mineral Examiners handbook may be downloaded for more detailed information about this process.
Common locatable minerals include:
- Gold
- Copper
- Silver
- Lead
- Zinc
- Nickel
- Other metallic minerals
- Precious Gems
- Uranium
- Tantalum
- Mica
- Platinum
- Fluorspar
- Bentonite
WHAT ARE UNCOMMON LOCATABLE MINERALS?
Some mineral materials are also considered locatable minerals and subject to the same laws, if they are uncommon and possess a distinct and special value. These are determined on a case-by-case basis by the project economics and location. Some of these uncommon varieties of mineral material include:
- Block pumice having one dimension of 2 or more inches.
- Limestone of chemical or metallurgical grade or that is suitable for making cement.
- Gypsum suitable for the manufacture of wall board or plaster.
WHAT IF MINERALS ARE NOT LOCATABLE?
Minerals that are not locatable may be salable, which means the mining and use of these minerals require a sales contract with the BLM or a free-use permit. Salable minerals typically include widespread, low unit value materials such as sand, stone, and gravel. Sales contracts are typically required for commercial operations while free-use permits may be administered to government agencies or non-profit organizations. The disposal of these minerals may also be regulated.
Leasable materials are minerals that can be federally leased. These are generally awarded through a bidding process and are subject to a production royalty. Leased minerals are generally used for fuel, energy, or other chemical applications, such as oil, gas, oil shale, coal, geothermal resources, potash, sodium, native asphalt, solid and semisolid bitumen, bituminous rock, and phosphate. In some states, sulfur is also considered to be a leasable mineral.
ASK A QUESTION
If you are interested in claim staking services or would like to speak with a mining expert on a potential project, reach out! Our Rangefront experts are happy to help.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRIAN GOSS
President, Rangefront Mining Services
Brian Goss brings over 20 years of experience in gold and mineral exploration. He is the founder and President of Rangefront, a premier geological services and mining consulting company that caters to a large spectrum of clients in the mining and minerals exploration industries. Brian is also a director of Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LTUM), an exploration stage company specializing in energy storage minerals and from 2014 to 2017, he fulfilled the role of President and Director of Graphite Corp. (OTCQB: GRPH), an exploration stage that specialized in the development of graphite properties. Prior to founding Rangefront, Brian worked as a staff geologist for Centerra Gold on the REN project, as well as various exploration and development projects in the Western United States and Michigan. Brian Goss holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Geology from Wayne State University in Michigan.
You may also be interested in...
What Do Mining Consultants Do?
A successful mining project takes careful planning, expertise, and execution. With increasing focus on environmental regulations, corporate responsibility, political pressure, and more, engaging a mining consultant has become a practical solution to navigating the...
What to Look for in a Mining Recruiting Company
As the weather starts to warm, mining companies are beginning to recruit to fill seasonal contract needs. While some mining companies may use direct recruitment efforts, it’s more common for mining and exploration companies to use a recruiting service. WHAT TO LOOK...
Why Choose Rangefront for Your Mining Consulting Services
Rangefront provides a wide range of mining consulting services to help your project succeed. Whether you’re still in early exploration stages or looking to improve the output of your current project, the experts at Rangefront can help. WHY CHOOSE RANGEFRONT AS YOUR...
What are Mineral Reserves & Mineral Resources?
Mineral resources and mineral reserves are crucial data points in a mining company’s operations. In mining and exploration, the terms “Mineral Resource” and “Mineral Reserve” can be confusing—and are often used incorrectly or even interchangeably. Mineral resources...
Direct-Hire vs. Contract Labor: What are the Differences?
Rangefront offers both direct-hire and contract labor services, but what is the difference and how do you know which you need? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRACT LABOR AND DIRECT-HIRE IN MINING AND GEOLOGY When our clients tell us they need help with recruitment...
What to Know About Reference Materials in Mining Geology
If you are new to the metals industry; whether that be in exploration or production, you have probably come across or used a Certified Reference Material (CRM), also known as a “standard.” Standards are used in a wide variety of applications and for a variety of...
What is an NI 43-101 & What is it Used For?
An NI 43-101 report is a summary for potential investors of scientific and technical information for a mineral exploration, development, or production project. This report is required for listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSXV. Intended for the investing...
Steps in the Mining Consulting Process
For such an old industry, mining remains relatively enigmatic to new prospectors or early operations in today's economics. With complex geophysical and geochemical testing, ever-changing regulations and claims, reporting and processes, as well as the complications of...
How Much Does Staking a Mining Claim Cost?
There are several fees associated with staking a mining claim. First, claims associated with a new claim must be paid, including a processing fee and location fee. A maintenance fee must be paid within the first 90 days of staking a claim and annually thereafter. NEW...
FAQs About Mineral Exploration
As stated in our blog “8 Steps of Mineral Exploration,” mineral exploration is the process of seeking concentrated deposits of minerals for the purpose of mining these minerals for economic benefit. In this article, we discuss some of the frequently asked questions...
7 (More) Frequently Asked Questions About Claim Staking
Rangefront Mining Services has been in the mining industry for decades, which means we’ve seen more than our fair share of mining claims. In fact, each year we help our clients renew over 11,000 mining claims. Long story short, we have a lot of experience in claim...
The Role of Soil Sampling in Mineral Exploration
If you’re new to the mining or geology industries, you may have primarily heard of soil sampling for purposes related to engineering, construction, or even gardening. However, soil sampling is an important part of the mineral exploration and mining processes. WHAT IS...