Regulations
Guest on GPAA Claims and Leases
Your active GPAA Membership benefits include spouse or significant other and all children under the age of 18 residing within the household.
As a GPAA Member and to preserve your GPAA Membership benefits, you may invite up to 4 guests while you are prospecting on a GPAA claim or lease. Your family members and guest must be accompanied by you as the primary GPAA Member and understand that as a family member or nonmember they cannot return to the site without you.
Your guests are limited to gold panning, or they may assist you in limited prospecting and must help in the federally required reclamation. Guests are not allowed to operate their own equipment or any members additional equipment.
GPAA Code of Ethics.
GPAA Code of Ethics must be adhered to by all GPAA Member and their guest.
These Code of Ethics have been in place since 1970. Please follow this link to GPAA Code of Ethics. https://www.goldprospectors.org/Forum/aft/7665
Prospecting and Mining on Private Lands outside of your GPAA - LDMA Membership must only be done with the express written consent of the landowner. Failure to have permission constitutes trespassing.
Federal and State Regulations
The Federal agencies BLM and USFS have federal regulations and policies in place for all federally managed public lands.
States are required to meet federal regulations and in cases of proven environmental impact and water quality concerns they may with federal approval exceed federal regulations.
The GPAA Claims Department is on all federal and state regulations mailings and when we have updated information, the information is included in this section.
It is however essential that members contact the regions federal and state offices prior to prospecting in areas where they are unaware of current regulations. Regulations can change with federal and state delays in informing claim owners.
NEVADA
Gold and silver may be prospected for with hand tools including pans and metal detectors. Minerals such as gold, silver and opals found on mining claims belong to the claim holder. Mining claim records may be viewed at BLM and county recorder offices. Sluicing, dredging and commercial mining require permits. Recreational panning which does not involve mechanical equipment is permitted in wilderness and wilderness study areas if it does not create sur-face disturbance or impair the environment.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT:
§ 3809.5 How does BLM define certain terms used in this subpart?
Casual use means activities ordinarily resulting in no or negligible disturbance of the public lands or resources. For example -
(1) Casual use generally includes the collection of geochemical, rock, soil, or mineral specimens using hand tools; hand panning; or non-motorized sluicing. It may include use of small portable suction dredges. (When allowed by state laws) It also generally includes use of metal detectors, gold spears and other battery-operated devices for sensing the presence of minerals, and hand and battery-operated drywashers. Operators may use motorized vehicles for casual use activities provided the use is consistent with the regulations governing such use (part 8340 of this title), off-road vehicle use designations contained in BLM land-use plans, and the terms of temporary closures ordered by BLM.
(2) Casual use does not include use of mechanized earth-moving equipment, truck-mounted drilling equipment, motorized vehicles in areas when designated as closed to “off-road vehicles” as defined in § 8340.0-5 of this title, chemicals, or explosives. It also does not include “occupancy” as defined in § 3715.0-5 of this title or operations in areas where the cumulative effects of the activities result in more than negligible disturbance.
BLM Casual Use - Can include equipment motor size regulated to LESS THAN 10 Horsepower. This is regulated and defined by each BLM Divisional office and in accordance with state regulations. You must contact the BLM regional or district office for current information regarding Motorized, Mechanical or compounded equipment.
United State Forest Service Lands:
Gold Prospecting & Sluicing on the Forest
Most of the National Forests in the western states are open to prospecting and mining, including panning and sluicing for gold. The Forest Service does not issue “permits “for mineral-related activities; however, authorization in a plan of operations is needed for some operations. A plan of operations is required for all mining activities that will create a significant disturbance on National Forest System Lands. Gold panning and work with hand tools usually does not require a plan. This is based on the assumption that in most cases significant resource damage will not occur when only hand-held, non-motorized equipment is used.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd488850.pdf
Check with the District Ranger for specific regulations and guidelines. District office locations may be obtained from the National Forest Supervisor's Offices:
Please follow this link for specific National Regulations https://www.fs.usda.gov/gsearch/gold%2Bprospecting%2B
Understand that regulations change, and it is your responsibility to contact local National Forest administration for current regs in areas you are prospecting.
State offices
including water regulatory, Fish & Game and other state agencies that oversee lands must be contacted to assure that you are prospecting within additional guidelines for public land use.
State of Nevada Dredging permit information
PERMIT REQUIREMENT: NRS 503.425 While being used, each dredge must have a permitted operator. See full permit and requirements here: http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/Content/public_documents/Forms_and_Resources/Special_Permits/Instructions%20-%20Dredging%20Permit.pdf
The same general rules apply to land overseen by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service, but casual prospectors should check with these agencies for additional regulations and restrictions. Prospecting is generally prohibited in National Parks, Trespassing and prospecting is both illegal and dangerous on lands controlled by the Military.
BLM District Offices
Nevada State Office
1340 Financial Blvd.
Reno, NV 89502
775-861-6500
email nvsoweb@blm.gov
Carson City District Office
5665 Morgan Mill Road
Carson City, NV 89701
775-885-6000
email ccfoweb@blm.gov
Ely District Office
702 North Industrial Way
Ely, NV 89301
775-289-1800
email eyfoweb@blm.gov
Winnemucca District Office
5100 East Winnemucca Blvd.
Winnemucca, NV 89445
775-623-1500
email wfoweb@blm.gov
Battle Mountain District Office
50 Bastian Road
Battle Mountain, NV 89820
775-635-4000
email bmfoweb@blm.gov
Elko District Office
3900 Idaho Street
Elko, NV 89801
775-753-0200
email elfoweb@blm.gov
Southern Nevada District Office
4701 North Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89130
702-515-5000
email lvfoweb@blm.gov
United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service office
Region 4: Intermountain Region
Federal Building
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT 84401
801-625-5605