U.S. Patented Land Claims are a unique type of property right established under the General Mining Act of 1872, designed to promote the exploration and extraction of mineral resources on public lands. These claims grant full ownership of both surface and subsurface rights to the claimant, allowing for comprehensive control over the mining and management of mineral resources. Originally issued by the General Land Office—now known as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—these claims provided a mechanism for individuals and companies to secure land for mining, playing a pivotal role in the development of the American West.

As privately held assets, U.S. Patented Land Claims include both the surface and subsurface mineral rights, distinguishing them from public lands where mining rights are typically leased or licensed. This ownership model facilitates complete autonomy in the exploration, development, and extraction processes, making these claims particularly valuable for the tokenization of physical gold resources into digital NatGold coins. Although the issuance of new mineral patents was significantly curtailed by a moratorium enacted in 1994, existing claims that met all the requirements before this enactment are still in effect, offering a vital pathway for the digital mining of gold through tokenization in the evolving landscape of the NatGold industry.