Location Dates for Mining Claims

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO commented on whether claims for lands discussed in its report on the mining law's patent provision, were located before the land escalated in value and the dates the claims were located. GAO noted that: (1) the claims for the 20 patent and 12 patent application sites were located from 1893 to 1986; (2) it identified the dates, but did not independently verify the dates; and (3) the value of the land at the time it was claimed was not an issue raised in its report.