Office Work
5–8 Calculation: The first step will be to reduce coordinate positions to direct ties, starting with the section corner ties, followed by short ties between claims of the survey should these claims actually overlap. In selecting the corners to tie, the tie between corners should be given that will facilitate the calculation of intersections and areas by solving triangles.
As illustrated by Figure 6, claims ABC and XYZ are in the same survey. A tie should be given from Cor. No. 1 of claim ABC to Cor. No. 2 of claim XYZ; not between Corners 1 and 3. After these ties have been calculated, they should be checked by calculating closures using the various short ties and section corner ties.
In selecting corners of conflicting surveys to give tie to, the corner within the survey as illustrated in Figure 5 should be selected. The tie to Sur. No. 1235 B lode should be to Cor. No. 1 from Cor. No. 1 of the XYZ lode, or to Cor. No. 2 from Cor. No. 4.
Lines of prior mineral surveys between recovered corners should be reported as correct or substantially correct as approved. If found in error the correct bearing and distance should be given.
In Figure 5, if Cors. Nos. 1, 2 and 4 of Sur. No. 1235 B lode were recovered, lines 1–2 and 4–1 should be reported. Lines 2–3 and 3–4 cannot be reported since Cor. No. 3 was not found. If the tie from Cor. No. 1 is to the same section corner as used in the survey of claim XYZ, then the correctness of the tie should be reported. If Cor. No. 1 was not recovered, the section corner tie cannot be reported.
The position of missing corners should be fixed in accordance with Chapter VI. The remaining lines can then be reported as fixed by the selected method of restoration.
Intersections and areas of conflict should then be calculated by solving triangles. Areas may be calculated using double meridian distances, but intersections should never be calculated by forcing a closure. Intersections may be checked by closure.
A special situation exists where a former survey excluded an unsurveyed location from the patent and the unsurveyed location has subsequently been abandoned. This area is designated as a tract and its boundaries are determined from the prior survey. See Tract A of the Jim Dandy Lode described in the specimen field notes and plat of the Manual of Surveying Instructions.
Another use of a tract is for the purpose of excluding a small area surrounding the discovery of another location not embraced in the survey.
Intersections and areas of conflict with patented lands containing mineral rights must also be calculated.
Supporting calculation sheets need not be furnished the Bureau of Land Management but computer tapes, if available, will be helpful. The BLM can perform the necessary checks by computer.
5–9 Preliminary Plat: The mineral surveyor will find it advantageous to prepare preliminary plats prior to writing the field notes. One plat should provide the base and give all the details of the survey with items of topography and culture secondary. This plat may be prepared in pencil or ink at the option of the mineral surveyor. It should be such that legible blue lines copies can be furnished to the Bureau of Land Management along with the notes, and to the claimant. It should clearly state that it is a PRELIMINARY PLAT SUBJECT TO CORRECTION. Some offices of the Bureau of Land Management may request a reproducible copy.
Plats on linen are no longer required. A secondary plat showing the topography and culture in detail will be an aid in writing field notes, but is not required by the BLM.
If drill holes are part of the improvements and are too numerous to show on the base plat, a separate plat is advisable.
5–10 Field Notes: A detailed set of specimen field notes is contained in the Manual of Surveying Instructions which should be followed for form and content. There are, however, some inconsistencies: The title page shown in the manual should not be used. Use current Form 3400–11, as supplied by the Bureau of Land Management.
The locations should be listed in the same order that they are described in the field notes, thereby serving as an index.
The field notes begin with a description of instruments and the mean results of the solar or other azimuthal observations. The latitude and longitude of the observing station is given. If this is not at a corner of the survey, the latitude and longitude of the first corner described should be given, thus:
At Cor. No. 1 of the Jim Dandy lode, identical with Cor. No. 1 of the Prince Lode of this survey, in latitude 38°45′ N, and longitude 106°20′ W.
A description of the measuring devices follows the observation for azimuth. If an electronic distance measuring device is used, the name and serial number should be given. It should also be stated that it was tested by measuring a known distance before and after the survey, and found correct.
Corner markings as shown are acceptable for stone monuments or wood posts. When a monument with a cap is used, the following marks would be more suitable:
The X has been omitted from the inscription on bearing trees which is incorrect, unless the measurement was taken to the center of the tree. It should be included, thus: JD–1–20220A XBT or JD–1–PRI–1–20220A XBT if the full complement of marks are shown.
When giving intersections only the distance to the line being intersected is given for claims of the survey as the distance to the corner on the line being intersected will be given later in the notes when that claim is described.
When the intersection is with a prior mineral survey or unsurveyed location, the distance should be given to a corner within the claim, or the same corner each time the line is intersected. See the intersection of lines 2–3 and 3–4 of the Protector lode with Sur. No. 20100 Silver lode.
Note that intersections are given to the nearest hundredth of a foot, while distances to items of topography and culture are to the nearest foot. Distances given in ties including bearing objects should be to the hundredth of a foot.
The area statement should show all conflicts and be so arranged that any exclusion may be made and the net area to be patented readily obtainable. This can best be done by starting with the oldest survey and progressing through the various conflicts, but this may not hold true if a prior survey has not been patented. A copy of the preliminary plat may be used to color the exclusions and make certain that all have been properly stated.
Under the heading “LOCATION” it is important to state that the survey is identical with the location as marked on the ground or to state the differences. When describing corners, ties should be given to location monuments when they are not identical. See the Prince Lode in the specimen notes.
Only those improvements counting toward the $500 expenditure are to be given under the heading “IMPROVEMENTS.” In such case, the discovery working should be numbered one. If there is no discovery working, but a discovery point is called for, it may be described and labeled No. 1. Any improvements that do not count toward the patent expenditure or those that have been made by others should be listed under “OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.”
“OTHER CORNER DESCRIPTIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA” is a very important part of the notes since it contains the report on prior surveys. Do not report another mineral surveyor in error for minor discrepancies in bearings and distances. The phrase, “substantially correct as approved” may be used, or “approximately correct as approved.”
Under “MEMORANDUM” differences with the calls given in the location certificate may be explained, as well as typographical errors in the certificate.
Because of corrections that may be required by the Bureau of Land Management it is well to prepare a preliminary draft of the notes for submitting to the BLM. The final typing, in triplicate, can be accomplished after all differences have been resolved.
5–11 The field notes and preliminary plat should be sent to the State Office of the Bureau of Land Management by either certified or registered mail with a return receipt requested. A copy of the preliminary plat may also be sent to the claimant with a copy of the letter of transmittal to the BLM.
As a rule, the returns of mineral survey should remain confidential until the survey is approved. The mineral surveyor should maintain this confidence. If a demand is made of the Bureau of Land Management under the Freedom of Information Act, then the preliminary nature of the work should be clearly stated to the recipient.