Below are some testimonials from people in the gold prospecting and panning industry we asked to review our maps. If you have a testimonial you’d like to share, please send it to us so we can post it on this page.
The key to successful prospecting is education and research! Gold Maps Online is by far the best time saving, gold prospecting tool we've ever had the pleasure of finding. Easy and fun to use, even for a PC challenged prospector like me. We highly recommend you avail yourself of these fine gold panning maps. It is an important responsibility to know where you are prospecting and naturally no one wants to be inadvertently claim jumping. Gold Maps Online gives you the tools to know where you are for sure and to be able to zero right in on the "hot spots". These Gold Panning Maps are available for all the Rocky Mountain States that we take field trips to! Well worth it, no prospector should be without these gold panning maps in your research library!
Johnny Walker, President
Rocky Mountain Tourism, LLC
www.LearnGoldProspecting.com
A review by Alan Chenworth
Author: A Guide to Gold Panning in UtahI have spent the last few weeks messing around with Gold Maps Online, a mineral/claim location program that I downloaded off the internet. This program shows all the areas with mining claims in a state by state selection, and shows the location of these claims in quarter-section detail. In short, Gold Maps Online is a whole new way to view the BLM mining claims data.
Gold Maps Online is different from other Gold Map systems in that it uses the ‘active’ claim listings (instead of the closed claim listings used by competitors) to help you locate areas of interest. Closed mining claims can be a good indication of mineralization (and Gold Maps Online kept it as an option)—but since someone will often file a claim and then drop it when he realizes that there is no gold (or little gold), it can be a little misleading. Gold Maps Online uses the BLM’s current ‘active’ claim listing so that your search is guided to areas with current mineral potential—places where prospectors are currently working to uncover earth’s treasures.
One click on a “claimed” square and you are given all the pertinent data on the claim—Is it lode or placer? Who owns the claim? What is their contact info? What is the claim serial number (very important—if you are going to file next to them—you will want a copy of their Notice of Location, so you know the exact boundaries of the open land).
Due to the overlapping of some mining claims, not every claim in a quarter-section can be shown. This program will only show one claim per quarter section—generally, a lode claim will take precedence over a placer or other type of claim in these gold maps. These maps should be used by prospectors to locate areas of interest. After using the map to find an area of interest, all you do is call the BLM and ask for an active claim listing for the section in question, get a Notice of Location for the pertinent claims, and you are ready to file.
The best part is that all of this information is draped over a clear, easy to see, easy to navigate aerial photo of the land. The Google Earth aerial photos that Gold Maps Online uses have greatly enhanced visuals over its predecessor. You can move around, zoom in or out, tilt the landscape to better see the hill, canyons and other topographical relief. You can also adjust the position of the sun (light source) to change the shadow orientation—allowing you to get better contrast and visibility on different parts of the topography.
In addition to having a much larger viewing window, faster and smoother functions, and better pictures with Gold Maps Online, you will also have the capability of measuring distances and elevations, along with all of the other Google Earth functions, when doing your research. This will allow you the opportunity to calculate slopes and grades. These tools can be of great help to the prospector.
Gold Maps Online fills a much needed niche in the prospecting market. The maps they provide are both informative and useful. As a prospector, I must admit that it has already pointed the way to some areas that I intend to prospect.
My name is Ken. I’m the owner/president of Alaskan Prospectors. I own 27 mining claims in Alaska and California where I dredge and pan for gold along with some small scale mining. Recently I visited family in New Jersey and being away from the claims, took the time to do some online research and came across your website. It was like leading a hog to the trough. I found so much useful information. Unlike other gold mapping sites, the information was current and surprisingly accurate. The staff was extremely quick to respond to my questions and informative. I used the information I bought off of your site to find and post several claims in Idaho and Oregon. Imagine this -- this is what I found. A few abandoned mining claims previously owned by old family miners and held since 1946. A few years back the owners apparently passed away. The kids, I think, had no interest in the claims and didn’t pay the fees. They let the claims expire so I snatched them up. With this service you can find and own your own prime mining claims. Thank you Gold Maps Online.
Ken Bunkley, President
Alaskan Prospectors
