Geological Consulting · Est. 1987

Find your
fortune in
the earth.

Gold & mining claims, exploration, water, environmental and geohazard science — from the Sierra Nevada to the Great Basin, since 1987.

⛏ Browse Gold Claims Talk to a Geologist
★ 97% buyer satisfaction CA Professional Geologist #7818 NI 43-101 Qualified Person
“Better Science. Better Service. Better Results.”
We Rock!
0Claims sold
0Years
0Offices
What we do

One firm. The whole earth.

From the first grassroots geology map to a filed mining claim to a permitted well, Advanced Geologic brings a full toolbox to every project.

⛏

Gold & Mining Claims

Buy vetted placer & lode claims — gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc — across CA, NV & AZ, with staking & filing support.

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Exploration

Mapping, chip sampling, geophysics, drilling and reporting. Grassroots start-ups to full corporate programs.
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Water & Wells

Groundwater analysis, well siting & drilling, water-quality testing and geothermal exploration.
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Environmental

Phase 1–3 assessments, percolation testing, wastewater design, erosion control and wetlands monitoring.
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Permitting & Compliance

Regulatory representation, environmental assessments and agency navigation from application to approval.

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Natural Hazards

Fault investigations, earthquake & landslide analysis, and flood-plain evaluation for safer sites.

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Construction Testing

Materials testing, soil compaction and concrete inspection to keep builds on solid ground.

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Lithium & Critical Minerals

Reconnaissance and evaluation for the minerals powering the next era of energy.

Claims for sale

Stake your ground.

Real, documented placer claims in California's richest gold country — most on 40 acres with historic production. Filter by county, then dig in.

A sample of what's available — see the full catalog for placer & lode claims, buying steps and FAQs. All claims are unpatented: you own the mineral rights, while the land stays federal (BLM / U.S. Forest Service).

See all gold & mining claims →
How claim buying works

Dirt to deed in four steps.

No mystery, no runaround. Here's exactly how a claim moves from our list to your name.

Pick your claim

Browse the list, ask questions, and choose a property that fits your goals, access and budget.

Pay & transfer

A $150 transfer fee per claim (less for multiples). Pay by PayPal, check, cash or wire.

Notarized quitclaim

We file a notarized Quitclaim deed with the county and BLM — the mineral rights are officially yours.

Hold & work it

File your annual Proof of Assessment or Notice of Intent to Hold — or let us handle maintenance for you.

Boots on the ground

Real geology. Real fieldwork.

We don't work from a desk. Every claim and report is backed by mapping the rocks in person — like this annotated look at Red Mountain and the Feather River fault country.

Annotated geological photograph of Red Mountain, showing the Feather River Ultramafic Body, Melones Fault, Rich Bar Fault and rock formations
Red Mountain, Feather River country — Melones & Rich Bar faults, Feather River Ultramafic Body (serpentinite), Shoo Fly & Calaveras formations, Tertiary basalt.
  • 🗺️Structural mapping — we trace faults, contacts and formations across the landscape, not just on paper.
  • 🪨Rock & chip sampling — verifying the kind and quality of mineralization before a claim ever hits our list.
  • 📡Geophysics — the seismic ripples in our logo are a nod to the subsurface work behind every good decision.
  • 📑Documentation — plan, execute, document. Every project run like a tactical mission, with reports that hold up.
Put us on your project →
Our story

Reading the rocks since 1987.

Nearly four decades of putting boots on the ground in the Sierra and Great Basin — from single-prospector dreams to corporate exploration programs.

1987

The firm is founded

Advanced Geologic Exploration, Inc. opens its doors in Chester, California — a full-service geological consultancy built on real fieldwork.

'90s

Full-spectrum consulting

Services expand well beyond gold: water resources, environmental compliance, geohazards and construction testing for clients across the West.

'00s

A second base opens

A field office in Tonopah, Nevada extends reach across the Great Basin's mining districts and desert claims.

Now

150+ claims & counting

Over 150 placer & lode claims sold in recent years with 97% buyer satisfaction — led by Chief Geologist Charles P. Watson and 45+ years of experience.

The crew

Scientists of the earth
(& a very good dog).

A small, senior team that answers the phone and shows up in the field. Yes, the security supervisor is a German Shepherd.

CW

Charles P. Watson

President & Chief Geologist

Forty-five-plus years of academic and professional geology across mining, water and hazards. Runs every project like a tactical mission: plan, execute, document.

CA Professional Geologist #7818NI 43-101 Qualified Person45+ yrs experience
JP

Jessie Pettigrew

Office Manager

Bookkeeping, scheduling and the friendly voice that keeps the whole operation running.

DE

Deb Evans

Reception & Web Design

Front desk, client wrangling and the hands behind the company's web presence.

🐾

Ranger

Security Supervisor

Four legs, zero tolerance for trespassers. Guards the office and supervises morale.

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Apollo

Guardian Angel

Our very own guardian angel — rest in peace. Still watching over the crew.

Why folks pick us

We Rock!

Better science means better decisions. Better service means you actually reach a geologist. Better results mean claims you can trust and reports that hold up. That's the Advanced Geologic touch.

Start your project →
Get in touch

Two offices. One team.

Call, email, or stop by. Whether you're buying your first claim or scoping a full exploration program, we'll point you in the right direction.

◆ Main Office — California

Chester, CA

📍 180 Main Street, Chester, CA 96020
P.O. Box 1956, Chester, CA 96020
📞 (530) 258-4228  ·  Fax (530) 258-4339
✉️ info@advancedgeologic.com
◆ Field Office — Nevada

Tonopah, NV

📍 115 North Main Street, Tonopah, NV 89049
🏔️ Great Basin claims, desert exploration & regional projects.
🌐 advancedgeologic.com

Ready to find your fortune?

Get the current claim list or book a consult with Charles.

📞 (530) 258-4228 ✉️ Email us