Mining Claim Terms
Mining Claims Glossary and Terms
There are a lot of terms in the gold mining industry that may be confusing to the new prospector. That's why this page aims to demystify mining claim terms and phrases by explaining them in plain English. If you run across an unfamiliar term that is not defined on this page, please contact us and we will include it here.
Ore
A mineral or several minerals which also contain metals that can be extracted. Think of it as a rock that also contains gold, silver, or other precious metals.
Lode Claim (or Lode Mining Claim)
A mining claim with mineral rights to a lode deposit. A lode deposit is a precious metal vein or precious metal ore that is still trapped in the original minerals where the metal was formed. Click the link for more information about the differences between lode mining claims and placer mining claims.
Placer Claim (or Placer Mining Claim)
A mining claim with mineral rights to a placer deposit. A placer deposit is when time, erosion, and the elements have worked the precious metals free from rocks and other minerals and can be found as flakes and nuggets. Click the link for more information about the differences between lode mining claims and placer mining claims.
Mineral Rights
"Mineral Rights" is another way of saying "mining claim". When you own a mining claim, you actually own the mineral rights for a specific area.
Patented Mining Claim
A mining claim where you not only own the mineral rights for an area, but also own the land. Click the link for more information about patented and unpatented mining claims.
Unpatented Mining Claim
The most common type of mining claim, an unpatented mining claim is when you own the mineral rights but not the land itself. Click the link for more information about patented and unpatented mining claims.