Application For Land Interchange Under Small Tracts Act Wth US Forest Service
VANCOUVER - Freeman Gold Corp. has submitted an application for a land interchange as part of the Small Tracts Act (STA) with the US Forest Service (USFS) at the Lemhi Gold Project in Idaho. Currently, there are several slivers of National Forest Land that lie within the 30 km2 (7,400 acre) Lemhi Gold Project area. Freeman has now submitted a STA application to the USFS to exchange approximately 40 acres of this land for parcels of equal value outside of the project area without a formal appraisal. Upon successfully completing the transfer, the Project area will be unencumbered by conflicting land use classifications simplifying mine permitting and development.
All parcels to be acquired by Freeman through the interchange are "mineral survey fractions" as defined in 36 CFR § 254.31, i.e., they are "small parcels" of National Forest System Lands interspersed with or adjacent to lands transferred out of Federal Ownership under the mining laws. The claims under application are either surrounded by, or intrude into adjacent patented claims, adversely affecting the efficient development of the mineral resource in Freeman's patented claims. Interchange of the parcels would facilitate the orderly and efficient development of the mineral resource in the patented claims.
The USFS has both encouraged the application and has acknowledged the receipt of the submission.