Casual Use
Mining activities that negligibly disturb public lands and do not require a Plan of Operations or Notice.
Detailed Definition
Casual use refers to mining activities on public lands that only negligibly disturb the land and resources. Casual use does not require prior approval from the BLM and no filing or notification is necessary.
Activities that qualify as casual use: - Gold panning - Non-motorized sluicing - Collecting mineral specimens with hand tools - Rock and mineral collecting - Metal detecting (in approved areas)
Activities that do NOT qualify as casual use: - Use of mechanized earth-moving equipment - Use of explosives - Suction dredging (in most states) - Motorized equipment in areas closed to OHV use - Any activity causing more than negligible disturbance
- Notice: For operations causing 5 acres or less of disturbance
- Plan of Operations: For operations causing more than 5 acres of disturbance
Understanding casual use limits is essential for recreational miners and prospectors.
Related Terms
Mining Claim
A parcel of land for which a claimant has asserted a right of possession and the right to develop and extract mineral resources.
BLM
The Bureau of Land Management, the federal agency that administers public lands including mining claim filings and maintenance.
Prospecting
The physical search for mineral deposits on public or private lands, including surface examination, sampling, and preliminary exploration.
Plan of Operations
A detailed plan required by BLM for mining operations that will cause more than 5 acres of surface disturbance on public lands.
Notice-Level Operations
Mining activities on public lands that cause 5 acres or less of surface disturbance, requiring a Notice filed with the BLM 15 days before operations begin.