No consequential new California prospecting law, federal mining rule, court ruling, or public-land closure was identified this week.
Still worth watching:
- October 27 geothermal auction: BLM will offer 19 parcels covering roughly 40,000 acres in six California counties. Leasing itself will not close land; future surface work requires additional review. Bureau of Land Management
- Forest Service Part 228 rewrite: Still a proposal, not a current restriction on prospecting.
- H.R. 4090: The House-passed mining bill remains pending; no verified enactment or new requirement for recreational prospectors. congress.gov
- Suction dredging: California’s statewide prohibition remains unchanged.