Mining Act of 1872
In addition to trappers taking beaver from our streams, homesteaders taking advantage of open lands out west, and cattlemen that had overgrazed Texas tapping our green meadows, my area of the state of New Mexico was settled in part by miners looking for the Mother Lode. They were often the Johnny-come-too- lates for the California Gold Rush. Some never made it that far or once there found no gold already not staked out and returned with the second rush to Colorado. And were too late there. Yes, there is gold in these hills but not in the rich veins that make mining it profitable. There is also an abundance of public lands and therefore subject to the Mining Act of 1872. The General Mining Act of 1872 is a United States federal law that authorizes and governs prospecting and mining for economic minerals , such as gold, platinum, and silver, on federal public lands. This law, approved on May 10 th , 1872, codified the informal system of acquiring and protecting mining claims on publ...