How do I locate and file a mining claim in Oregon and Washington?
Before you can locate a claim, you must determine if the lands are, in fact, open to location. You can find this out at any BLM office. No claims can be staked in areas closed to mineral entry under certain acts, regulations, or public land orders. We refer to these as withdrawn lands. The BLM Oregon/Washington State Office and Field Offices have appropriate land and mineral status maps and records for you to make this determination, and they are readily available for your inspection. On lands open to location, you may prospect and properly locate claims and sites. If lands have already been claimed, you may want to find another location. The BLM Oregon/Washington State Office maintains records of these locations on microfiche. They are available by geographic index, serial number index, claim name index, and claimant’s index. The district offices also have geographic and claimant indices for your use. If your parcel of land is open to location, the next step is staking the claim. Fede
