Mining claims is the first. The right to explore and mine mineral from pieces of land is what is referred to as a mining claim. Another term that is commonly used in mining law is claim staking. It is described as the procedure of marking the mining claim boundaries. In most instances, wooden posts and piles are employed for this. Different nations as well as different states within the US have in place distinct claim staking requirements.

Once the claims have been staked, prospectors are required to complete the required documents to file the claims. In the initial stages, a mining claim is referred to as an unpatented claim. That is, it only gives right to activities related to exploration and mining. It is only if the claims are worked on every year that unpatented claims remain valid.

Patented claim owners are permitted to put to diverse legal uses. However, it is worth noting that patenting claims is one of the most controversial parts of mining law, especially in the United States. The reason for this is that Congress imposed what is referred to as a moratorium. Since 1994, the United States federal government has never accepted new mining claim applications.

Lode and placer claims are additional common terms that are used in mining law. A placer claim is the claim over gravel or sand along a river or stream that bear gold deposits. On the other hand, a lode claim is the claim over areas with hard rock deposits. In the state of California, this claim is also referred to as a quartz claim.

One thing you ought to understand about mining law is that it does not apply to some mineral products. In the US for instance, petroleum, coal and other construction materials such as sand and gravel are not added in the locatable minerals list. Competitive bidding is the only way to get the right to dig these up.

Before companies make the decision to mine, they should first take the time to educate themselves on mining laws. They ought to understand the laws that administer their vocations. It informs them on the rights that they have as well as what is required of them.