The GPANM association is the first and longest operating gold prospecting association in New Mexico. We are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, though we have members from many states. As an organization we focus exclusively on placer prospecting and do not engage in load mining. Our monthly meetings include association business, information on upcoming events, gold nugget raffles, door prizes, and sometimes, presentations, demonstrations, guest speakers, or educational videos. All are welcome at our monthly meetings! New member sign-ups are also done at the monthly meetings. We have monthly outings to our claims, and to other places, with the focus of improving our knowledge, prospecting skills, and just having fun, and hopefully find some gold. Some are day outings that have specific agendas, like how to use a metal detector or safety on a claim. We also have multi-day outings.
We also publish a monthly newsletter, called The New Mexico Nugget, which is emailed to all current GPANM members. The newsletter is packed full with valuable and interesting information, such as, tips on gold prospecting and safety in the field, gold stories new and old, GPANM board meeting minutes, message from our president, more details on upcoming events, photos from our latest outings and events, for sale items, and more.
The name of our association, the Gold Prospectors Association of New Mexico, implies we are affiliated with the Gold Prospecting Association of America. We are not! GPANM has no affiliation with the GPAA.
You may have noticed we refer to the GPANM as an association, and not a club. We do this intentionally as the 1872 Mining Act does not support recreational prospecting. The 1872 Mining Act was intended to benefit the national economy. It was not the intent to let people claim minerals on public land just for the fun of it. The intent of the 1872 Mining Act was to expect a good faith effort of claim holders to develop the minerals and place them into the economy. Working for the fun of it and having fun at work are subtly but distinctly different concepts. For that reason our bylaws and documents of incorporation refer to our GPANM organization as an Association and there is no mention of the word "club".
We also publish a monthly newsletter, called The New Mexico Nugget, which is emailed to all current GPANM members. The newsletter is packed full with valuable and interesting information, such as, tips on gold prospecting and safety in the field, gold stories new and old, GPANM board meeting minutes, message from our president, more details on upcoming events, photos from our latest outings and events, for sale items, and more.
The name of our association, the Gold Prospectors Association of New Mexico, implies we are affiliated with the Gold Prospecting Association of America. We are not! GPANM has no affiliation with the GPAA.
You may have noticed we refer to the GPANM as an association, and not a club. We do this intentionally as the 1872 Mining Act does not support recreational prospecting. The 1872 Mining Act was intended to benefit the national economy. It was not the intent to let people claim minerals on public land just for the fun of it. The intent of the 1872 Mining Act was to expect a good faith effort of claim holders to develop the minerals and place them into the economy. Working for the fun of it and having fun at work are subtly but distinctly different concepts. For that reason our bylaws and documents of incorporation refer to our GPANM organization as an Association and there is no mention of the word "club".
Gold Prospectors Association of New Mexico
GPANM HOTLINE: 505-898-5508
Our mailing address:
GPANM
P.O. Box 25472
Albuquerque, NM 87125-0472
GPANM
P.O. Box 25472
Albuquerque, NM 87125-0472
Copyright 2021