AGENCY: Washington County (Utah). County Recorder
SERIES: 81372
TITLE: Mining notices of location
DATES: 1891-1959.
ARRANGEMENT: Chronological.
DESCRIPTION: Federal mining law enacted in 1872 provided that all valuable mineral deposits in the public domain were free and open to exploration and purchase and that the locators of the same were to have exclusive right of possession as long as they complied with the laws of the United States and of the local mining district. (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. XVII, chap. 152). This act outlined the method by which mining claims could be patented, the first step being the discovery of a potentially productive site and recording of a claim or notice of location. Each notice of location recorded in these books indicates the name or names of locators, provides a legal description of the location, names the claim, and usually the mining district, and is signed by the county recorder. Recorded claims document three distinct periods of mining activity in Washington County. During the late nineteenth century, numerous claimants recorded notices of location for lode claims to mineral deposits such as silver or copper. In the first decade of the twentieth century, claimants were focusing on placer claims for potential petroleum production, and in the mid-1950s they were primarily interested in uranium.
RETENTION
DISPOSITION
RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION
These records are in Archives' permanent custody.
AUTHORIZED: 01/02/2018
FORMAT MANAGEMENT
Paper: For records beginning in 1888 and continuing to the present. Retain in Office permanently after being microfilmed.
Microfilm master: For records beginning in 1879 through 1948. Retain in State Archives permanently.
Microfilm duplicate: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
APPRAISAL
Historical
PRIMARY DESIGNATION
Public