How do you stake a claim on unclaimed gold mines?

To stake a claim on an unclaimed gold mine, a prospector must mark claim boundaries clearly and distinctly for easy identification, according to the Bureau of Land Management. A prospector must also check the claim grounds for markings of claims established previously and check BLM records for recorded claims.

As of 2015, prospectors must record new mining claims with the BLM. Before locating a mining claim, a prospector needs to contact the proper agency in the claim state to find out what laws and regulations apply to staking and recording claims because most jurisdictions have state-specific requirements, explains the BLM. When a claimant asserts the right to hold and develop a piece of land and remove gold or other valuable minerals that have been discovered, it is called a mining claim.