Lapsed Mining Claims: Ground That Just Opened Up
Every year thousands of gold and mineral claims are forfeited when their federal maintenance fees go unpaid — and the ground they covered opens again. We diff the BLM claims database weekly and log every claim that drops off the active rolls — 95 detected in the last 90 days. Somebody thought that ground was worth paying for; now it's open.
New to claim lapses? Start with How to Find Lapsed Gold Claims — what lapsing means, the September 1 wave, and how to verify open ground.
Lapsed claims by state
Pro members get the full picture: every lapsed claim mapped state by state next to the active claims layer, with name, type, acreage, and the week we detected it. Updated with every weekly sync — including the September wave.
See Pro Benefits →Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lapsed mining claim?
A mining claim on federal land is forfeited automatically when its annual BLM maintenance fee (or small-miner waiver) is not filed by September 1. The ground it covered becomes open public land again — available to prospect or to stake as a new claim.
When do most mining claims lapse?
The biggest wave follows the September 1 maintenance-fee deadline each year, but claims lapse year-round through abandonment, estate changes, and companies dropping exploration ground.
Can I collect on a lapsed claim?
Once the BLM processes the closure the land is ordinary open public land — normal casual-collecting rules apply, and anyone may locate a new claim there. Always verify current status and land openness before staking or digging.
How fresh is this data?
We sync the BLM national mining-claims database weekly and diff every cycle. A claim that disappears from the active federal rolls appears here with the date we detected it.
⚠️ Always verify current regulations, weather conditions, and access requirements before visiting any location. Information provided is based on community submissions and may not be current or accurate.
Data: BLM Mineral & Land Records (national mining claims), diffed weekly. Lapse detection reflects removal from the active federal rolls; always verify current case status and land openness with BLM before staking or collecting.