Six Things to Know About the Expanded Mineral & Land Records System

The new major release for the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS) is now live! Release 4.0 incorporates the remaining Alaska cases into MLRS, completing a single, nationally integrated mineral and land records system for the BLM.  

MLRS now handles the following cases nationwide: 

  • Mining Claims 
  • Fluid Minerals 
  • Geothermal Energy 
  • Land Use Authorizations 
  • Solid Minerals 
  • Land Tenure 
  • Land Transfer (in Alaska) 
  • And more! 

 

Here are six key things to know about what the newly expanded MLRS offers for BLM customers in Alaska: 

  1. MLRS provides an online platform to access and process minerals and lands information, case files, and select business transactions from the convenience of your computer or mobile device. With MLRS, you can:  

  • Create an account along with building a profile to access case information online. 
  • Access a consolidated list view of case filings to help manage the status of cases as well as view any payments or fees on those cases.  
  • File mining claims.  
  • Access or upload case file documents as attachments.  
  • Access MLRS’s knowledge library full of learning materials and answers to frequently asked questions. 

 

  1. MLRS provides a secure online experience.  

  • MLRS uses Login.gov to ensure your private information is secure, and user credentials are verified using two-factor authentication.  
  • MLRS uses Pay.gov to allow individuals and businesses to make secure online payments of certain fees to the BLM. 

 

MLRS Create an Account Screenshot
Screenshot of the MLRS Create An Account page.

 

  1. MLRS includes some consolidation to Case Actions which represent processes and federal actions taken on that case.  

  • MLRS will simplify and decrease the number of Case Actions required to represent the lifecycle of those actions. You can view the Case Actions recorded for a case. 
  • Additionally, MLRS provides a Case Action History section that allows you to see changes done on the Case Action such as changes on the Case Action’s status.  

 

  1. You can access MLRS Reports to obtain the most current mineral and land records data.   

  • ACRES reports remain available reflecting data recorded up to October 4, 2024. 
  • The MLRS team will continue to expand reporting features and content to align with key reports available in ACRES. 
  • Alaska Historical Index (HI) records can now be found on the BLM General Land Office website. HI-related reports will continue to be accessible in ACRES with data recorded up to October 4, 2024. 
  • You may access MLRS Reports in one of two ways:

    1) Visit https://mlrs.blm.gov, scroll down, and click on Reports.
     
    Arrow pointing to the MLRS Reports link on the MLRS homepage.
    The red arrow points to the MLRS Reports link on the MLRS homepage.

    2) Go to the MLRS Reports page directly at https://reports.blm.gov/reports/MLRS. 
     
    Screenshot of the MLRS Reports homepage
    Screenshot of the MLRS Reports homepage.

 

  1. The MLRS Research Map opens new possibilities for you to view cases and research other lands information geospatially. 

  • Research existing cases based on location or serial number. 
  • Open the Serial Register Page (SRP, a.k.a. Case Abstract) for a BLM case from the research map. 
  • Navigate to General Land Office records based on the map location. 
  • Use national BLM geospatial layers such as surface management agency, public land survey system, and administrative units to review map data. 
  • Use a range of tools to adjust the layer order, opacity, and labeling to view current information on areas of interest. 
  • Note that you can use both the MLRS Research Map or BLM-Alaska's Lands, Minerals and Realty Interactive Web Map (LMaR) to find detailed Alaska data.  

 

  1. MLRS comes with a unique serial number format. See the format examples below. 

  • It provides a consistent serial number format for all BLM cases. 
  • MLRS serial numbers allow easier searching of the database and decreased errors when identifying cases. 
  • Existing cases can still be found by searching by the legacy serial number. 

 

Image showing examples of the unique MLRS serial number format

 

Note: MLRS offers a convenient online alternative for doing business with the BLM. However, BLM Public Rooms are still available for in-person assistance and land records research if preferred. Public Room representatives can also provide help with using MLRS. 

 

Want more info? 

 

Story by:

Greg Fuhs, Public Affairs Specialist

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