[Rockhounds] Speaking of garnets...

[Lanny]

Hi John,

Removal of any minerals from Acquired Lands is not allowed without a 
permit, there is no allowance for small quantities.

When Milwaukee Timber Co. traded the Emerald Creek area lands to the 
FS, the garnets were suddenly not available for collecting. The 
rockhound community complained to their Reps and Senators. A new law 
was written allowing the FS to sell individual permits for a day's 
collecting. Under old sale-lease laws it wasn't feasible to run such a 
program. Thus, rockhounding was saved for the star garnets at Emerald 
Creek.

As to the other areas with garnets on acquired lands, the FS got tired 
of the disturbances and closed them when they found them, including 
Purdue Creek, Cat's Spur Creek and along Marble Creek. One can go 
through the leasing/sale process and get permits for some areas, and 
that has been done, which is why Cat's Spur Creek may be all dug out. 
However, this is not a simple process and requires a mining plan, 
environmental analysis, etc. It's not something that can be done with a 
simple daily permit. People do surface collect in all these areas, some 
even dig for garnets, but when they are caught, they are fined.

As to digging on BLM and FS lands, generally it is allowed. But not all 
of it is, such as the blocks of  acquired land, some rights of way and 
now environmentally sensitive areas and other areas of significant 
resources to protect (archeological values, botanical values, etc.). 
There are all kinds of withdrawals, small and large and protected 
areas. Even though we tend to say that BLM and FS land is open to 
rockhounding activities, one should really check specific areas before 
doing any digging, and any sort of mineral removal, even if just 
picking it up off the surface. That's what we should do, but old habits 
are hard to break... .

If you have any specific areas in mind, ask me off list, I might know 
what the situation is out there.

Regards,

Lanny


On Oct 15, 2007, at 7:18 PM, John Junkroski wrote:

>
> On Oct 15, 2007, at 5:55 PM, Lanny wrote:
> (Snip)
>>
>>  An interesting bit of information is that nearly all the garnet 
>> locations (star garnet and those that are facet quality) in the 
>> region, at least all of those well known to the rockhound community, 
>> are on National Forest acquired lands. Acquired lands (by statute) 
>> are not open to mineral entry, thus it is illegal to go out and dig 
>> garnets without a permit on these lands.
>
> (Snip)
>
> Lanny,
>
> Thank you for your excellent information on the garnet locations, and 
> the outstanding  photos. I hope to spend several weeks next summer in 
> that area.
> ( Retirement is wonderful! )
>
> With respect to your comment ( above ), does this apply to surface 
> collecting, or only to "digging holes"?
> Could one legally scoop rocks out of the creek bed? I've  been given 
> to understand that as long as you don't mess up the stream banks or 
> create fox-holes, collecting is permitted pretty much anywhere on 
> National Forest and BLM lands.
>
> Have you had any experience obtaining permits for collecting on those 
> lands? How bad is the bureaucracy?
>
> Thanks again,
> John
>
>
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