May 2016 experienced a striking decrease in staked claims (102) compared to May 2015 (993). This is paired with an uptick in abandoned claims (283) to result in a month with a net decrease of 280 mining claims. Box Elder, Utah stands out with 296 abandoned claims this month—compared to 382 abandoned claims in all of the USA.
Nationwide Trends
In May 2016, 102 claims were staked on public land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for mining purposes. This is compared to 993 staked in May 2015—a month-over-month decrease of 891 claims. May’s trends contribute to an annual net decrease of 18,048 active claims between 2016 (359,509 active claims) and 2015 (377,557 active claims). 4,553 acres were acquired with these 102 staked claims. That is a decrease of 14,759.35 acres in contrast to the 19,313 acres claimed in May 2015.
While 102 mining claims were staked through the BLM in May, 382 claims were abandoned over the same month. This is a increase of 283 claims as opposed to May 2015 when there were 99 abandoned claims. 7,375 acres were released with these 382 closed claims. This is 5,300.63 more acres released in May compared to the 2,075 released in the same month in 2015.
May 2016 | May 2015 | Net | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Active Claims | 359,509 | 377,557 | 18,048 | 4.78% |
Staked Claims | 102 | 993 | 891 | 89.73% |
Staked Acres | 4,553 | 19,313 | 14,759.35 | 76.42% |
Abandoned Claims | 382 | 99 | 283 | 285.86% |
Abandoned Acres | 7,375 | 2,075 | 5,300.63 | 255.41% |
State Trends
Nevada, Arizona, and Wyoming are the three most active states when ranked by total active mining claims on public land overseen by the BLM. Nevada is the most active state with 175,824 active claims, accounting for 48.91% of the overall mining claims in the United States. This is 132,900 more claims than Arizona, the second most active state, which hosts 42,924 mining claims and accounts for 11.94% of the overall mining claims in the United States. Wyoming has 4,358 fewer claim than Arizona, making it the third most active state, with 38,566 mining claims—11.94% of the active mining claims overseen by the BLM.
State | May 2016 (Active Claims) |
May 2015 (Active Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nevada | 175,824 | 185,079 | 9,255 | 5% |
Arizona | 42,924 | 42,851 | 73 | 0.17% |
Wyoming | 38,566 | 38,775 | 209 | 0.54% |
California | 22,509 | 23,137 | 628 | 2.71% |
Utah | 18,570 | 20,124 | 1,554 | 7.72% |
Staked Claims In May
Arizona, Nevada, and California gained the greatest number of mining claims staked on public land over May 2016. Arizona experienced the most significant growth, with 30 claims staked—a decrease of 220 compared to May 2015. This is 6 more claims than Nevada, which gained 24 mining claims in May—229 less than May last year. California has 5 fewer staked claims than Nevada, with a total of 19 staked claims—compared to 77 in May 2016.
State | May 2016 (Staked Claims) |
May 2015 (Staked Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona | 30 | 250 | 220 | 88% |
Nevada | 24 | 253 | 229 | 90.51% |
California | 19 | 77 | 58 | 75.32% |
Utah | 8 | 26 | 18 | 69.23% |
Colorado | 5 | 28 | 23 | 82.14% |
Abandoned Claims In May
Utah, Idaho, and Nevada had the most abandoned BLM mining claims over the course of May 2016. Utah is distinguished by its 299 abandoned claims, the most closed that month and 295 more than May 2016. This is 260 more claims than Idaho, which lost 39 mining claims—an increase of 37 claims from last May. Nevada jettisoned 13 fewer claims than Idaho. The 26 mining claims abandoned in Nevada are 11 greater than May last year.
State | May 2016 (Abandoned Claims) |
May 2015 (Abandoned Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Utah | 299 | 4 | 295 | 7,375% |
Idaho | 39 | 2 | 37 | 1,850% |
Nevada | 26 | 15 | 11 | 73.33% |
Arizona | 13 | 10 | 3 | 30% |
California | 3 | 62 | 59 | 95.16% |
County Trends
Elko, Eureka, and Lander counties are the three most active mining counties on public land overseen by the BLM. Elko County, Nevada is the most active with 29,002 active claims. The county accounts for 8.07% of the overall mining claims in the United States. This is 6,763 more claims than Eureka County, Nevada which hosts 22,239 mining claims and accounts for 6.19% of the overall mining claims in the United States. Lander County, Nevada has 1,572 fewer claims than Eureka, with 20,667 mining claims—6.19% of the active mining claims overseen by the BLM.
County | May 2016 (Active Claims) |
May 2015 (Active Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Elko, Nevada | 29,002 | 30,909 | 1,907 | 6.17% |
Eureka, Nevada | 22,239 | 26,582 | 4,343 | 16.34% |
Lander, Nevada | 20,667 | 21,990 | 1,323 | 6.02% |
Humboldt, Nevada | 19,704 | 20,804 | 1,100 | 5.29% |
Nye, Nevada | 18,579 | 17,687 | 892 | 5.04% |
Staked Claims In May
Esmeralda, Yavapai, and Pinal counties gained the greatest number of mining claims staked on public land over May 2016. Esmeralda County, Nevada experienced the most significant growth, with 16 claims staked—a 25 decrease compared to May 2015. This is tied with Yavapai County, Arizona which gained 16 mining claims in May—6 less than May last year. Pinal County, Arizona has 3 fewer staked claims than Yavapai, with 13 staked claims—compared to 1 in May 2016.
County | May 2016 (Staked Claims) |
May 2015 (Staked Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Esmeralda, Nevada | 16 | 41 | 25 | 60.98% |
Yavapai, Arizona | 16 | 22 | 6 | 27.27% |
Pinal, Arizona | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1,200% |
Tuolumne, California | 5 | 4 | 1 | 25% |
Tooele, Utah | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Abandoned Claims In May
Box Elder, Butte, and Lander counties had the most abandoned BLM mining claims over the course of May 2016. Box Elder County, Utah is distinguished by its 296 abandoned claims, the most closed that month and 296 more than May 2015. This is 259 more claims than Butte County, Idaho, which lost 37 mining claims—an increase of 37 claims from last May. Lander County, Nevada jettisoned 17 fewer claims than Butte. The 20 mining claims abandoned in Lander County are 19 more than May last year.
County | May 2016 (Abandoned Claims) |
May 2015 (Abandoned Claims) |
Net | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
Box Elder, Utah | 296 | 0 | 296 | |
Butte, Idaho | 37 | 0 | 37 | |
Lander, Nevada | 20 | 1 | 19 | 1,900% |
Maricopa, Arizona | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Washoe, Nevada | 4 | 0 | 4 |
View Individual State Trends Reports
While this report focuses on those states and counties with the greatest amount of active claims or significant change in activity on public land, this is hardly to neglect the extensive activity occurring elsewhere. For more locally focused reports, complete with graphs and time series tables, visit any of our listed states below or search for a particular county’s trend report on The Diggings™.
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*These reports are summarizing mining claims on public land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and do not encompass sales or transfers occurring on private land.