AGENCY: Tooele County (Utah). County Recorder

SERIES: 24564
TITLE: Patented mining claims index
DATES: 1891-1978.
ARRANGEMENT: Alphabetical by first letter of claim name.

DESCRIPTION: As the agent responsible for recording documents relating mining claims, the Tooele County recorder created this index to the abstracts of patented claims. An abstract is a chronological list of documents relating to a particular claim. This index references mining claims abstracts, but includes only those claims for which owners had received a patent. Federal mining law enacted in 1872 provided that valuable mineral deposits in the public domain were free and open to exploration and that the locators of the same were to have exclusive right of possession (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. 17, chap. 152, also Revised Statutes of the United States, chap. 6, title 32). Claim owners could maintain rights to a claim by performing annual assessment labor, or they had the option to file for a patent. Patents provide outright ownership when the necessary requirements have been met.

RETENTION

DISPOSITION

RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION

These records are in Archives' permanent custody.

FORMAT MANAGEMENT

Microfilm master: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.

Microfilm duplicate: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.

APPRAISAL

Historical

This index identifies those mining claims in Tooele County for which the owner received a patent.

PRIMARY DESIGNATION

Public

---