Miners no longer have to prove they are working their claims on federal land

The Bureau of Land Management has removed a rule requiring miners to file annual statements proving they are actively working their claims on certain federal lands. This means miners can hold onto their claims without showing any activity, making it easier to speculate on land rather than develop it.

For decades, miners had to show they were actually digging or exploring to keep their claims on federal land. This rule change removes that requirement for a specific type of land, making it cheaper and easier to simply sit on a claim. This could lead to more unused land being tied up by speculative claims, rather than being actively mined or made available for other uses.