Federal Lands

Federal lands are lands owned by the United States government and managed by various federal agencies. The majority of federal lands are located in the western United States and Alaska. Federal land management agencies include:

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Manages approximately 245 million acres, primarily in the West
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS): Manages approximately 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands
• National Park Service (NPS): Manages approximately 85 million acres of national parks and monuments
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): Manages approximately 89 million acres of wildlife refuges
• Department of Defense: Manages approximately 11 million acres of military installations

Mining on federal lands: - BLM lands are generally open to mining claim location under the Mining Law of 1872 - National Forest lands are open to mining claims but subject to USFS surface management regulations - National parks, monuments, and wilderness areas are generally closed to new mining claims - Withdrawn or reserved lands may be closed to mineral entry

Federal land statistics: The federal government owns approximately 640 million acres, or about 28% of the total U.S. land area. In some western states, federal ownership exceeds 50% of the state (e.g., Nevada at approximately 80%, Utah at approximately 65%).

Federal land status is a critical factor in determining where mining claims can be located.