An old mine in Mariposa County
Sierra Sun Times file photo
August 26, 2017 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Mining claimants who wish to retain their mining claims on Bureau of Land Management federal public lands through the 2018 assessment year must pay a maintenance fee or file a maintenance fee waiver certificate on or before the Friday, Sept. 1, to prevent the mining claim from being declared forfeited and voided.
The maintenance fee for a lode claim, tunnel site, or mill site is $155 per claim/site. For placer mining claims only, the fees are $155 for every 20 acres of land or portion thereof. Miners who filed a 2017 Small Miner's Waiver will be required to file an Affidavit of Assessment Work Form, including the $10 processing fee per claim on or before Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018.
"Since Dec. 30, 2017, falls on a Saturday and BLM offices are closed on weekends, miners will have until the next business day, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, to file an Affidavit of Assessment Work form," said Debra Marsh, adjudication branch chief, BLM.
Each payment must be accompanied by a written list of the claim name and BLM serial number for which the maintenance fee is being paid. All Maintenance Fee Waiver Certificates or maintenance fees must be filed or paid at the BLM State Office at 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-1623, Sacramento, CA 95825, or online with a credit card through the BLM's payment portal at https://payp.blm.gov/eppcore/home. Payments or filings made by mail must be postmarked on or before Sept. 1.
The Sacramento Information Access Center Public Room is open for payments or filings from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Cash, check or credit card can be presented to make payment either in person, by mail, online, or by telephone. For more information on the filing deadline, the maintenance fee or the Maintenance Fee Waiver Certification, please call the BLM State Office Information Access Center Public Room at (916) 978-4400 or visit the BLM-California Public Room website at https://www.blm.gov/public-room/california.
The BLM provides opportunities for economic growth with space for traditional uses such as ranching, mining, logging, and energy development as well as hunting and fishing.
Source: BLM
