Your 2017 Officers


President Brian Winter
Vice President John Troseth
Treasurer Colleen Jackson
Senior Director Ben Moran
Junior Director Joe Johanek

The elections held late last fall resulted in the following members being elected to the SPMA Board of Directors. Thank you all for volunteering to serve the association.

General Meetings, 3rd Tuesday of the month

Our next general meeting will be held at 6:30 PM at the VFW Post Hall in Lemon Grove.

Imperial Valley Meetings

The Imperial Valley Chapter meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM, at the Potholes Claim, except during the summer. For more info please contact Jim Perkey via email.

SPMA Board Meetings, 2nd Monday of each month

Our monthly SPMA Board of Directors meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Gem & Mineral Building, Spanish Village, Balboa Park. All members are welcome to attend.

Suction Dredging Decision Postponed, Again!

For more info on this seemingly endless suction dredging legal saga please check out these links:
ICMJ Article, New 49er's Previous Article, Judge's Previous Order, ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal, Sacramento Bee Article. California Miners take on the State or visit Public Lands For People.

Things Every Gold Miner Should Know...

Every miner interested in suction dredging should know what the Sierra Fund and other environmentalists are saying in Sacramento regarding SB637. Click the link to watch a YouTube video of a recent hearing in Sacramento. SB637 Hearing Video. At about 17 minutes in miners begin speaking in opposition to the bill. For more information on this issue please visit The Stop SB637.org website.

Our NEW Email Claim Use Form is now available

We now have two types of claim forms, a Mail-in Claim Form. and an Email Claim Form. Just click the links for each to check them out. We hope that by making the forms quick and easy to use, more people will send them in. Collecting these Claim Use Forms is important because it shows the BLM that we are actually using our claims. It also shows that we are being responsible stewards of the land. Hauling away old trash and filling in dangerous holes also shows that we're pretty good people to have around. When we apply for new claims, the BLM takes all of this into account.

Share Your Photos on our website

SPMA members are encouraged to add photos to our photo page slide shows. There are two ways to do this, you can simply email them to Tom, or you can upload them to the SPMA PhotoBucket account. Our slide shows originate from that account. Prints and gift items can be ordered from PhotoBucket. For the PhotoBucket login passwords and other details please contact Tom Heffernan via email.

Gold fever still alive with local prospecting groups

Check out this recent Union-Tribune article by Gary Warth. He tagged along with trip leader Lee Darling on an SPMA outing to our Potholes claim in early April. Just click the links and enjoy!  Article and slide show.  If the links should break, here's a PDF copy.

Descanso Road Closure Decision

In spite of the public outcry against it, the Forest Service has decided to go forward with their overall plan to close several roads in the Cleveland National Forest. Fortunately for us, Claims Committee Chairman Joe Johanek met with the Forest Service and worked it out so that road access to our claims will remain open. Joe says the Mining Act of 1872 grants claim holders certain protections not afforded to the general public. You can expect to hear more on this from Joe at our next meeting.
Click the links to read the Forest Service memos. Official Notice and Official Decision.

GPAA's Pick & Shovel Story

Our road closure battle was front-page news in February's issue of the GPAA Pick & Shovel Gazette. Click the link and read all about it. Pick & Shovel Gazette, Feb 2014. On page 18 you'll also find a profile of TSSD President Chester Nowicki. Treasure Seekers of San Diego (TSSD) is a North County Prospecting Association we join forces with on a regular basis. Many SPMA members are also TSSD members.

PEW Environment Group

It's time you knew what the PEW Environment Group is up to and how they are lobbying to change the laws that regulate prospecting and mining. Download their 38-page booklet and read their own literature. PEW Environment Booklet.

Dinner is Served!

If you're attending your first SPMA meeting you should know that delicious home-style food is available at all our meetings at very reasonable prices. There's no need to rush home to fix dinner. Just come to the meeting straight from work.