Nevada Nugget Hunters

rehab · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:20 am Post subject: TIDBITS OF INFO- MONTANA

EMJ 8 4 1928

Montana-Idaho Plans Expansion to 250 Tons a Day—Basin Montana
Cleaning Gray Eagle Tunnel

IN THE issue of June 9 it was stated that Butte Copper Consolidated had encountered an extension of an orebody, mined on the upper levels, on the 400 level of its Joe Dandy mine, at Radersburg, Mont. Within a radius of 40 ft. of the shaft, three of these orebodies have been opened, showing high-grade galena and lead carbonate ores. Shipments to the smelter have been made from these discoveries, and the returns showed about 35 per cent zinc and 7 oz. of silver to the ton. About 18 tons a day is being shipped. The company is now installing a 70 hp. electrically driven Ottumwa hoist with a rope speed of 400 ft. per minute. To take care of this installation and future installation of a plunger pump, three General Electric transformers have been acquired.

At present, Montana-Idaho Mines is treating 140 tons a day at its cyanide mill at Unionville, 4 miles south of Helena, Mont. The orebodies at the “line are being developed under the supervision of Homer Emerson, formerly superintendent of the Bertha mine, at Corbin, Mont. Construction has been started to increase mill capacity to 250 tons a day. It is believed that this work will be finished within the next six weeks.
The company recently sunk the main shaft at is East Pacific property, in Broadwater County, from the seventh to the eighth level. Lead-gold-silver ore was encountered about 60 ft. north and 30 ft. west of the shaft. Operations at the Kleinschmidt property of the same company are on a small scale.

A group of claims in the southwest portion of the Butte district has been acquired by J. Gavan, 1-I. C. Rogers, and R. E. Tower. Anna Butte Mining has been formed, with a capitalization of 500,000 shares at a par value of $1. A two-compartment shaft will be sunk close to the Butte-Southern and Ardsley groups.

Basin Montana Tunnel reports good progress in cleaning out the lower tunnel on its Gray Eagle property, Jefferson County, Mont. It is believed that the tunnel will tap the Comet vein within a few weeks. As soon as this work is finished, the company expects to start its long tunnel to crosscut the known veins lying between the Gray Eagle and the Great Northern Railroad. This tunnel will probably be three miles tong. Besides this work, the company has a crew of men on work at the Lillie B. claim, where ore carrying copper and silver has been uncovered about 3,300 ft. from the portal of the proposed tunnel.

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44 THE MINING JOURNAL

MONTANA

At a special meeting of the stockholders of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, it was voted to increase the stock issue from 6,000,000 shares of $50 par value to 12,000,000 shares of the same value. The new stock will be issued to the present stockholders at the rate of two shares for each five shares now held at a price of $55 per share. The funds realized from the sale will be used for the retirement of the principal on $108,803,000 of first consolidated mortgage bonds, series A, due February 1, 1958.
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The Montana-Idaho Mines Corporation is changing the machinery in its Spring Hill mill from cyanide to flotation, according to Gust Carlson of Helena, Montana, manager of the corporation. Only a small investment will be involved in the change and it is planned to have the work finished by April 20. Operations have been suspended during the installation of the new equipment.
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The Creden Mines Corporation, of which William L. Creden of Butte, Montana, is president, has opened the south vein in the Minneapolis mine near Basin. The ore body is said to be five feet wide and assays 5.1 per cent copper, 11 per cent lead, $2.80 gold and 52 ounces silver to the ton. The real objective is what is known as the second vein, and is farther ahead. The latter is known to carry high-grade lead-zinc values and the crosscut tunnel will be advanced to its intersection.
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Spokane and Montana mining men have taken over the Letterman or Plains Gold group of mines, comprising about 160 acres near Plains in Sanders County, Montana. The property is on the Northern Pacific and has been developed in a small way by the Clarksfork Gold Mining Company, control of which was held by T. S. Letterman of Plains. A crosscut tunnel has been started to tap the main vein at a depth of about 200 feet. One hundred and ninety feet of the distance has been covered and the objective is about 200 feet farther ahead. Two smaller veins, the Hummingbird and the Middle veins, lie parallel to the larger vein.
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The Butte Southern Mines, Inc., Col. A. P. Peake, president and general manager, Butte, Montana, uncovered a ledge of ore on the surface near where the company is building its powerhouse. The ore assays 11.6 per cent copper and 9.6 ounces silver to the ton.
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The Pentabase Mining Company has been incorporated at Helena, for the purpose of operating a group of 19 copper and silver claims, near Wolf Creek, Lewis and Clark county, Montana. The capital stock is $1,000,000 divided into $1 shares and each of the following incorporators have subscribed $100. They are William L. Davis of Silver Bow, Bert B. Davis of
Noples, Idaho, and L. A. Foot of Helena.
The power lines of the Montana Power Company pass within three and one-half miles of the mine, timber is available for mining needs and the company has purchased water rights from Little Creek, which crosses the property. It is planned to build a bunkhouse to accommodate 20 men, a blacksmith shop, sorting sheds, ore bins and to repair the road to the mine. Tools and other supplies are to be purchased.
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Power has been turned on so that the North Butte Mining Company, Paul A. Gow, president and general manager, can unwater its mines. The Main Range mine is to be unwatered and the Granite Mountain mine will be placed in shape for the extraction of ore.

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THE MINING JOURNAL April 15, 1929

MONTANA

The Butte and Superior Mining Company paid a quarterly dividend of 50 cents a share and amounting to $145,099. This is the only payment reported from the state during the past month.

During the year ended December 81, 1928, the East Butte Copper Mining Company, Butte, Montana, Philip F. Beaudin, general manager, earned $100,747 after depreciation, equal to 24 cents a share, as compared with a deficit of $91,313 in 1927 and a deficit of $181,306 in 1926. This is the first profit made by the company since 1921. The production totaled 8,587,068 pounds of copper against 6,844,769 pounds in 1927 and production cost was 13.87 cents a pound, as compared with 14.719 cents in 1927, and 16.321 cents in 1926. On December 81, 1928, current assets were $1,087,815 and current liabilities $47,781, making a net working capital of $990,084 as compared with $982,553 a year before.

The wages of all employees at the copper mines at Butte, Montana, have been increased another 25 cents a day with a proportionate increase for all contract miners. This brings the basic wage to $6 a day and is the highest ever paid in the Butte district. The increase applies to all employees of the reduction works and refining plants of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company at Anaconda and at Great Falls and is to be effective until further notice. Butte mines are now paying $100,000 a day or at the rate of $40,000,000 annually.

The Basin Montana Tunnel Company has cleaned out the 200-foot station at a depth of 200 feet in the winze sunk from its south tunnel and three shifts are drifting to ore. The drift is out 20 feet east and another 25 feet are expected to reach an ore body, which old records show to be 13 feet in width. The new electric Vulcan hoist is working well and the water is being kept out of the winze with a No. 7 Knowles sinking pump. Samuel Barker, Jr., Butte, Montana, is manager.

The Liberty Montana Mines Company, operating the Mammoth and other mines, near Jefferson Island, Madison county, Montana, is completing the installation of electric power and has purchased a 20 x 12 x 14 compressor, which will be direct-connected to a water wheel. The company’s stock is closely held by a syndicate consisting of E. D. DeChamps of Milwaukee, Walter U. Corrigan of Milwaukee, Ernest C. Rae of Des Moines and Manager F. R. Springer.

It is understood that the Crystal Copper Company has closed a deal whereby the Goldsmith group of claims of the company, located near Walkerville, Montana, has been leased to a syndicate of Butte men headed by John Egan. The Goldsmith property is said to be rich in lead, silver and gold ore.

Announcement has been made that the Arasky Butte Mines Corporation, B. E. Sawyer, manager, Butte, Montana, will build a concentration mill to handle the low-grade silver-lead-zinc ore that is on the dumps and from which the high-grade ore has been removed and shipped. Between 50 and 80 tons of ore are being shipped daily, the ores assaying from 26 to 66 ounces silver daily.

The Butte Olive Branch Mines Company has un-watered its shaft to a depth of 200 feet and has found it in fairly good condition. The shaft is 220 feet deep and in a short time the drifts leading to bodies of zinc-silver ore will be cleaned out, according to W. C. Siderfin of Butte, manager.

F. S. Bardwell, superintendent of refineries at the Great Falls plant of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, in his recent address before the Montana Society of Engineers, stated that the Great Falls plant has a refining capacity of 27,000,000 pounds of copper monthly and the residue, which contains selenium, tellurium, palladium and platinum, is shipped to New York where these values are recovered. At the Great Falls plant copper is refined to 99.96 purity.

Announcement has been made that a meeting of the stockholders of the Snowstorm Silver-Lead Company will be held at Spokane for the purpose of acting upon a proposition to sell all property owned by the company and to dissolve the corporation. No work has been done since the mill at Troy, Montana, burned in May, 1927. The Snowstorm Company began work in 1923 and sunk a shaft 645 feet and did about 3,000 feet of crosscutting and drifting on three levels. Funds could not be raised from the sale of stock and several advances were made by the Greenough Investment Company to carry on the work.

It is said that as soon as the condition of the roads permit, that cabins will be erected and machinery installed at the Benbow chrome deposits, near Columbus, Montana. Approximately $40,000 worth of work, including mine development is planned for this summer by the new owners.

Thomas O. Collins, business man of Deer Lodge, Montana, and James Higgins, mine operator, have just returned from New York City, where they have consummated the sale of the Blue Eyed Nellie mine in the Emery district in Montana, to the North American Mining and Smelting Company. The Blue Eyed Nellie is one of the older properties in the district and development is to be started within 90 days.

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THE MINING JOURNAL for JUNE 30, 1929

MONTANA

The Zonolite Mining Company, E. N. Alley, general manager, Libby, Montana, has entered into an agreement with the Kobold Company, Los Angeles, California, for the shipment of two carloads of vermiculite daily. Shipments are to start September 1. The latter company has been granted territorial rights for use of zonolite in wallboards, refrigerators, etc.
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B. T. Gordon, a stockholder of the Butte Independent Mines Company, operating in Silver Bow county, Montana, has asked that the company be placed in receivership. He alleges that the present officers have spread false reports in order to depreciate the price of the stock and have used company funds in promoting other enterprises.
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The tunnel of the Montana Premier Gold Mining Company, T. C. Letterman, Plains, Montana, has been advanced 435 feet and is believed to be near the vein at a point 200 feet below the surface. At the surface this vein is 12 feet wide and averages $26 per ton, principally in gold across the width. The work is being performed by H. S. Dudley, under contract, and progress during the last 10 days has averaged 12 feet daily, two shifts working.
With Mr. Dudley, is a part of the crew who drove the long Atlas tunnel in the Coeur d’Alenes, 547 feet in one month. Only temporary equipment is used, but a power line is to be built to connect with the Montana Power and Light Company’s lines so that heavier equipment can be operated. L. O. Howard, 1905 Indiana Street Pullman, Washington, is consulting engineer.
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It is understood that W. W. Patterson and John D. Ryan of Mullan, Idaho, have leased the Stewart-McDonald Mines, comprising five claims, near White Sulphur Springs, Meagher County, Montana. A vein three feet in width and carrying 18 to 28 per cent copper has been followed across the surface of the claims.
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The Gold Cap Mining Company, Glenn Anderson, general manager, Butte, Montana, has chopped more than 200 feet of ice in clearing its tunnel so that ore can be removed from the “glory hole.” The mill, able to treat from 800 to 500 tons of ore daily has been reconditioned and will start grinding ore shortly, under the supervision of William Francke, formerly engaged in milling low-grade gold ore in the Black Hills, South Dakota.
Connection has been made with the lower lines of the Montana Power Company. Chas. O’Farrell, president of the organization, is on the ground and will take an active part in operating the mill. This is the old Porphyry Dike Mine in the Rimini District, about 20 miles southwest of Helena.
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The 150-horsepower Diesel engine of the Blackfoot Silver Lead Mining Company, C. L. Hewitt, president and general manager, Box 904, Helena, Montana, is working well and the 850-cubic foot air compressor has been installed. Concrete footings for the first unit of the mill building have been completed and lumber for the structure is on the ground. Flotation machinery has been ordered and it is hoped to have the plant in operation early in July. The concentrates from the ore will be shipped to the American Smelting and Refining Company at East Helena.
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The board of directors, of the Montana-Idaho Mine Corporation, Helena, Montana, Gust Carlson, general manager, has ordered the construction of a second unit of the flotation plant. This action is the result of the successful operation of the first unit, placed in operation a few weeks ago, and from which a carload of concentrate is produced every five days and shipped to the East Helena smelter. L. A. Grant is mill superintendent.
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High-grade gold ore, running as high as $200 per ton, is being shipped from the Honeycomb Mine in the Marysville District in Montana, owned by Morgan Langan of Helena, and being worked under lease by Nels Nelson and S. A. Brown, manager of the St. Louis Mining and Milling Company.
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The Harvey Creek Mining Company, Fred Goudge, superintendent, Deer Lodge, Montana, has uncovered ore in the tunnel that is believed to be the principal vein in its property. While no assays have been made as yet, experienced mining men who have seen samples of the ore say that it runs high in lead and silver with lesser values in gold and zinc.
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The Helena Silver Lead Mine. Company, W. S. Harris, mine superintendent, Helena, Montana, has opened three feet of steel galena ore in the west drift on the 240-foot, or lowest, level in its property in the Seven Mile district, eight miles northwest of Helena. This deposit is believed to be the downward extension of a body cut on the 100-foot level and a raise has been started to prove or disprove this opinion. Seven men are working. The hoist, pump and air compressor are driven by Diesel engines, but it is announced that electric power will be installed, which will permit sinking to greater depth and extending work on the present lowest level.
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The Diamond City Mine. Company, M. A. Ellis, general manager, Townsend, Montana, has unloaded and hauled a steam shovel to its placers at Diamond City, for use this summer. In addition, the derrick will be used to lift large boulders. Eight men are working this property. Robert Neilson, 902 Hoge Building, Seattle, Washington, is president.
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Articles of incorporation have been filed for the Good Luck Mining Company, which has been formed to operate a group of patented mining claims at Basin, Montana. The capitalization is $50,000, divided into shares of $1 par. H. A. Bolinger, S. A. Shadoan and F. L. Stone of Gallatin Gateway are directors in the company. ‘This is a copper-silver mine and work is to start immediately.
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The Butte and Superior Mining Company has declared its regular quarterly dividend of 50 cents a share, payable June 29 to stock of record June 14.
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The Anaconda Copper Mining Company has closed its Mountain View and Anaconda mines at Butte for repairs. This will reduce its copper output about 4,000,000 pounds monthly, or about 12% per cent from peak production, and is in line with the curtailment policy that has seemed wise to most of the copper producers.
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The Main Range shaft of the North Butte Mining Company, Paul A. Gow, president and general manager, Butte, Montana, has been completely unwatered and preparations are being made to install additional pumping equipment on the 1,200 and the 2,200 levels. A crosscut will be started to penetrate the Continental fault and by the time the machinery is in place, should have penetrated the fault, and be in the veins of high-grade primary copper ore disclosed on the 2,000-foot level.
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THE MINING JOURNAL 9 30 1929

MONTANA

The North Butte Mining Company, Paul A. Gow, general manager, Butte, Montana, has completely un-watered the Main Range workings and has repaired the shaft and stations. A 10-inch water column has been installed in the shaft from the surface to the 2,200-foot level and the station on the 1,200 level, has been enlarged for a new 1,200-gallon pump and a 600-gallon plunger pump. In the station on the 2,200 level, foundations are being poured to install pumps similar to those mentioned at the 1,200 level. These pumps will be ample to handle any water which may be encountered in developing veins east of the Continental fault.
On the 2,200 level, a crosscut has already been advanced 250 feet towards this objective. The capacity of the power line to the Main Range shaft has been increased and new cable is being installed in the shaft. A large amount of development has been done in the Granite Mountain mine and ore production during July was 7,488 tons. North Butte also owns the East Side property, comprising nearly 1,100 acres on the extension of some of he best copper producing veins in the Butte district.
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The Butte and Superior Mining Company, E. V. Daveler, general manager, Box 1708, Butte, Montana, will disburse its regular quarterly dividend of 50 cents a share on September 30. The disbursement calls for $145,099.
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Ore, assaying from $40 to $70 per ton, has been opened in the Gold Bar mining claim on the slope, north of Marysville, Montana. The discovery was made during the summer, when a shaft was sunk 70 feet and a small amount of lateral work done. Some milling ore has been mined and the high-grade is being saved to make a shipment direct to the smelter. Albert Price, R. Fletcher and Herman Ingman own the ground.
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The assets of the Montana-Idaho Mine. Corporation have been reorganized as the Montana Mines Corporation, a $2,000,000 corporation. Stock of the former organization will be exchanged for stock in the new on the basis of five shares for one, through the First National Trust and Savings Hank, Spokane, Washington. As soon as the stock is transferred, it is planned to dissolve the Montana-Idaho organization.
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F. A. Warrington, Harold Wilson and Roy Snow, all of Libby, Montana, are opening a property on Goat Creek, near the Little Anne Claim of the Golden West Mining Company. They have located, a six-foot width of ore, copper predominating, with lesser values in gold, silver, lead and iron. Assays have run as high as $82 and $100 per ton. During the winter they plan to develop the mine and block out ore, working as the Betty-Mae Mining and Development Association, which has just been incorporated.
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The Maxville Gold and Silver Mining Company, Edward H. Collins, mine superintendent, Box 15, Maxville, Montana, has opened the ore body which has been the objective of work in the main tunnel. It is 12 feet wide and has been drifted on 40 feet. The ore maintains its width in the drift. It is of milling grade, averaging $15 per ton in gold, silver and lead.
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W. S. Norman of Spokane, Washington, has un-watered the Hyantha mine at Winston, Montana, which he took over only a short time ago, and expects to start shipping ore soon. The mine is equipped with a steam plant for hoist, pumps and an air compressor. The shaft will probably be sunk 200 feet below the workings.
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The Blackfoot Gold Mining Company, Mark Welch, president, Helmville, Montana, is installing a milling plant at its property seven miles from Helmville. Flotation machinery will be purchased later. A 90-horsepower boiler has been purchased to supply power for the mine and mill. Mine development has opened up 745 feet of ore, varying from 18 inches to four feet in width and worth about $20 in gold to the ton.
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It is understood that the Snowstorm and the Montana Morning Mines water and electric plants at Troy, Montana, have been taken over by the Troy Mines Company. Development is to be started soon. Troy and Kalispell people are identified with the new concern.
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During August, Butte Copper Consolidated Mines. Col. A. P. Peake, president and general manager, Butte, Montana, received $23,852 for 11 carloads of ore, and four additional carloads were in transit at the end of the month. A new ore body, rich in silver and lead, has been opened on the No. 6 level of the Joe Dandy Mine, near Radersburg.
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It is understood that Milwaukee interests, headed by William M. Schmidt, have taken over the Bullion property in Basin Creek, 10 miles from Basin, Montana. This ground has been opened by a 2,900-foot tunnel, and a lower 800-foot tunnel. Mill tests are being taken and it is planned to build a flotation mill of about 100-ton daily capacity.
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LIVINGSTON PLACER INCREASES ITS ACTIVITY IN SWAUK CREEK

The Livingston Placer Mines, Inc., operating a large hydraulic development, in the Swauk Creek District in Kittitas County, Washington, now has a force of 18 men working in three eight-hour shifts, three big monitors handling about 2,500 yards daily through the sluices.

A sawmill has been purchased and will be used to cut all the timber needed by the company for its operations, amounting in the near future to several hundred thousand feet.

“Five 1,000-watt flood lights are used at night to facilitate operations,” said president William J. Rogers of Seattle, “and everything now is progressing satisfactorily. We have three Wilfiey and one Kirk table in continuous operation, in addition to the big 85-bucket elevator, which handles the heavier stuff.

We are very much gratified with our gold showings and expect to have something very interesting to report when we make our first cleanup.” D. E. Sayre is the superintendent in charge of operations.

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THE MINING JOURNAL OCTOBER 15 1929

MONTANA

Track is being laid on the 3,200-level of the Granite Mountain property of the North Butte Mining Company, Paul A. Gow, president and general manager, Butte, Montana, to make available the blocks of ore remaining in the Edith May stopes, and the mine is being unwatered to tap the extension of the rich stopes on the 3,400 level.
On the 2,600-foot level and about 1,000 feet north of the Granite shaft, between four and five feet of copper ore, assaying from 6 to 8 per cent copper have been opened.
The crosscut on the 2,200 level of the East Side property is in more than 700 feet, and work is being pushed on the installation of pumping machinery.
North Butte is mining at the rate of 250 tons daily and expects to have large reserves of high-grade ore for mining by the time the 3,600 level of the Granite Mountain ground is opened.
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The Montana Mines Corporation, Gust Carlson, general manager, Helena, Montana, has outlined diamond drilling in the East Pacific Mine at Winston, in an attempt to locate a vein parallel to the main vein. Considerable ore of milling grade, is available in this mine.
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In the Klein-Schmidt-Irish Syndicate property, 28 miles south of Helena, a tunnel has been driven 350 feet to tap several veins at depth. Electric power and equipment have been installed, and it is planned to drive the tunnel to a length of 3,400 feet. At the Spring Hill Mine, four miles south of Helena, ore is being concentrated by the flotation process, and plans have been formulated to increase the capacity of the mill from 175 to 300 tons daily.
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A 20-foot width of milling ore, has been opened in the Montana Morning Mine, of the Troy Mines Company, according to Vice-President Robert Gregg, of Troy, Montana. This is one of the best properties of the company and comprises 13 mining claims. The Snowstorm group, including 24 claims, is a silver-lead-zinc mine and it is estimated that 100,000 tons of ore are blocked out and ready for removal at the present time. The mine is lighted with electricity, and is ventilated by compressors that can deliver 140,000 cubic feet of air per minute. The officers in the corporation are: W. A. Shoup of Missoula, president; S. B. Holbert of Spokane, general manager; H. W. Dickey, secretary-treasurer, and Mr. Gregg.
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The Anaconda Copper Mining Company has opened its Anaconda Mine, one of the oldest producing mines in the Butte District, so that the crew from the West Colusa Mine might have employment while damage caused by a fire is being repaired there. The announcement was made by C. L. Berrien, superintendent of mines for the Anaconda Company. The West Colusa property employs approximately 900 men, repairs are already under way, and the mine will be reopened as soon as they are finished.
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The Basin Montana Tunnel Company, Samuel Barker, manager, Butte, Montana, is drifting on copper ore on the 500 level of the Grey Eagle Mine, and has shipped 20 tons of ore taken out during this development, along with copper ores from the 400 and 500 level. A recent shipment, carrying lead, zinc, silver and gold, has been made. It is understood that the South Comet Vein is being prospected. The latter had not been worked by former owners.
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The Butte Highlands Mining Company, a recent organization, has taken over a group of mining claims on Nevins Hill, in the Highlands District, South of Butte, Montana, which were highly productive several years. The ground is opened by a 1,080-foot tunnel, which will be continued about 1,200 feet, and at a depth of 800 feet below the old workings. H. H. DesRoches, Walker B. Carroll and Frank Hayes of Butte have organized the company.
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A. W. Simon and associates of Kalispell, Montana, have leased property adjoining the Flathead Mine of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, in Flathead County, and have formed the Ole Mining Company, under which name, development will be done. Rich silver ore had been mined during former management, and the land is owned by the Northern Pacific Railway.
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The Montana Copper Corporation has been incorporated to work a group of claims in the Tidal Wave District, Madison County, Montana, where approximately 500,000 tons of ore have been developed in three oreshoots. Across a width of nearly 50 feet, the ore is said to carry 2.3 per cent copper, 80 cents gold and .5 ounce silver to the ton, and mill tests have been made in preparation of erecting a flotation plant. Those identified with the Montana Copper Corporation are William C. Siderfin, and Charles J. Stone of Butte; John L. Shaw, Clinton M. Roos of New York, and H. H. Clarks of Washington, D. C.

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THE MINING JOURNAL for OCTOBER 30, 1929

MONTANA

Officials of the Zonolite Mining Company at Libby, Montana, are in the east, negotiating contracts to furnish several hundred tons per day of zonolite, to the manufacturers of electrical refrigerators and building board. E. N. Ally is general manager at Libby.
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J. C. Van Dissel and Company, Inc., of Spokane, has signed an agreement with the Golaen West Mining Company, William Herbert, general manager, Libby, Montana, for the complete financing of the development of the mine. The money is to be available not later than January 1, 1930. Messrs. Herbert and Schouweiler attended the recent convention at Spokane, where their mineral exhibits attracted considerable attention.
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The Anna Butte Mines Company, A. C. Fisher, president, Butte, Montana, is making preparations to resume work in the southwestern part of the Butte District. Connection is being established with the lines of the Montana Power Company, and heavier machinery installed for shaft sinking.
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During September, the Montana Mines Corporation, Gust Carlson, general manager, Helena, Montana, milled 4,441 tons of ore assaying about $7.35 per ton. Costs of production averaged $3.40 per ton. Additional machinery is being installed to bring the capacity of the milling plant up to 500 tons daily. Recent announcement has been made to the effect that a large body of ore, averaging $16 per ton, has been opened in the Spring Hill Mine.
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The first carload of contentrates from the new mill of the Vigilante Mining Corporation, A. H. Dahle, president, Sheridan, Montana, has been shipped to the East Helena smelter. Most of the ore milled was from old dumps, but some ore from the mine has been started through the mill. A. L. Spencer, mine superintendent, is pushing development with two shifts of men. About 100 feet of drifting has been done around a bad cave in the old working, which broke through into the main tunnel, where heavy rails are being laid. Better ventilation will be supplied when the raise connects with the No. 3 workings. Seventy-five feet of the raise have been completed, with nearly 50 to go, to reach the objective.
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The Trout Mining Company, Charles A. Hyder, superintendent, Box 222, Philipsburg, Montana, has taken over several properties and expects to employ 150 men by the first of next year. One hundred and eleven are on the payroll now.
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Louis Hoffman has shipped several carloads of silver-lead ore from the Hamilton Mine, near Armstead, Beaverhead County, Montana, to the plant of the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company at Midvale, Utah. Hoffman is operating under bond and lease. The mine was formerly operated by the Standard Silver-Lead Company.
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The Liberty-Montana Mines Company, F. R. Springer, general manager, Jefferson Island, Montana, shipped a car containing 80 tons of ore from its mine at Cardwell, to the Washoe smelter at Anaconda. This is one of the largest shipments ever billed to the smelter, and returned $184 per ton. The ore is mined through a tunnel and the costs of mining and milling are said to be $2.10 per ton. A power line and complete electrical equipment is on the ground and a double-drum hoist has recently been purchased from the Sullivan Machinery Company.
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The Vigilante Mining Corporation, A. H. Dahle, president, Sheridan, Montana, has placed its milling plant at the Buckeye Mine in operation. Dump ore is being treated. The machinery used in remodeling the mill was furnished by the Butte Machinery Company. The Vigilante corporation was organized last August by Texas capital.
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A group of Oregon capitalists, represented by M. F. Howe and Son, are said to have acquired an option on the property of the Running Wolf Development Company, about 25 miles west of Stanford, Montana. A substantial cash payment is said to have accompanied the taking of the option, and money is available to develop the mines. Improvements, including the building of living quarters, are being made at the mines. J. 0. Helsing, R. R. No. 2, Stanford, is manager of the Running Wolf company.
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The Metalsmith Mines Corporation, T. H. Kerruish, general superintendent, Helena, Montana, has opened the Smithville Vein at a depth of 750 feet in the Empire group of mines. The ore carries from 60 to 65 percent lead, 4 percent copper, from 4 to 8 per cent zinc, from 15 to 20 ounces silver and from $4 to $20 in gold to the ton. An electric hoist and compressor have been installed at the Bell Boy to permit sinking a shaft to the 300 foot level. Connection will be made between both of these mines for the transportation of ore to the mill, which is being remodeled.
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The Montana Premier Gold Mining Company, T. C. Letterman, president, Box 193, Plains, Montana, has discontinued the use of its Diesel engine, and will develop by hand, power until connection is made with the lines of the Montana Power Company, about two miles away. A right of way is being secured for the line. The face of the drift on the 200 level is entering an oreshoot and preparations are being made for large-scale production.
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The Cedar Creek Mines Company’s property, 17 miles southwest of Superior, Montana, has been taken over by the Superior Mines Company. John C. Graham is working the ground with a force of seven men. This is placer ground.

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for NOVEMBER 30, 1929 11
Manganese Reserves at Philipsburg, Montana
The Bureau of Mines estimates that manganese reserves in this district of Montana will last for 30 years at the present rate of mining.

Manganese dioxide, which is used in making dry batteries, has since 1918 been obtained in the United States, chiefly from the Philipsburg District, in Montana. The district has also produced more or less manganese oxide ore, suitable for use in steel making, and recently a small shipment of Philipsburg ore was used at Silver King, Idaho, in the Tainton process of zinc extraction. The process of beneficiating the dioxide ore has produced a large quantity of manganiferous tailings, which is valuable either for re-concentrating, or for fluxing. It is now being used as a flux at the blast furnace of the Columbia Steel Corporation at Provo, Utah, in the manufacture of high manganese pig iron.

Production

Statistics compiled by J. T. Pardee, of the geological survey, who has visited the district from time to time since 1918, supplemented by figures from the Bureau of Mines, show that to the end of December, 1928, shipments of manganiferous material from Philipsburg, amounted to 442,482 tons.
On the assumption that 214 tons of crude ore was required for each ton of concentrate produced, it appears that in round figures 427,500 tons of ore was milled. This amount, added to the crude ore shipped, gives a grand total of 658,500 tons mined.

Stratigraphy

The area of productive manganese deposits at Philipsburg, is underlain by limestone. It is bordered on the east and south by a later intrusive granite (granodiorite), part of the east boundary being a fault on which the granite is thrust over the limestone. At the south, there is a deep re-entrant in the boundary occupied by barren quarzite, garnet rock, and other contact-metamorphosed sediments. Toward the west and north, the manganese deposits die out gradually. The bedded rocks are involved in a northward-trending fold called the Philipsburg Anticline.

At the south, the barren quartzite and garnet rock are exposed along the axis of this fold, and the overlying manganese-bearing limestones form its flanks. The axis plunges northward, and consequently the quartzite and garnet rock disappear beneath the surface, and the limestones occupy not only the flanks, but the axial area of the fold. The granite cuts off part of the east side of the anticline, and at the south the whole anticline.

Manganiferous Deposits

Manganese minerals are found through out the Philipsburg District, but workable deposits of manganese ore are confined, so far as known, to an area about I ½ miles long, and a mile wide, in the west-central part of the district. Manganese is not, however, uniformly distributed through this area. It becomes increasingly abundant toward the southeast, where about two-thirds of the available reserve is concentrated near the granite, in about a quarter of the total area.

The occurrence and characteristics of the deposits are described in a former report (1). They are associated with a series of east-west silver-bearing veins and, like replacement deposits in limestone generally, they are characterized by irregularity of form. Some approach a cylindrical form, and the Headlight deposit is tabular, but most of them can be described only as irregular bodies. They seem to prefer certain of the limestone beds to others—a fact that is useful in development work. They were originally composed of manganese carbonate, which was introduced somewhat later than the silver ore, came from a deep-seated source, and made room for itself by replacing the country rock.

Oxidation

Development workings show that in the limestone beds, oxidation of the manganese bodies, except for a few small residual masses, is complete to an average depth of at least 450 feet, and, as indicated by the position of the water table, or top of the zone of saturation, it probably extends to a maximum depth of at least 750 feet. In this District, the ground water flows toward Philipsburg Valley, where it finds an outlet at an altitude of 5,100 feet. Because ground water generally moves freely through limestones it is probable that the water table does not rise steeply away from the outlet.

This inference is supported by evidence from the Rope Mine, where, in the Shapleigh shaft, water stands at an altitude of about 5,200 feet. The Headlight Mine is dry at a depth corresponding to an altitude of about 5,400 feet. In the True Fissure and Silver Prince (Scratchawl) mines, water coming from the granite sinks and disappears in the limestone at altitudes of 5 500 and 5,600 feet respectively. In the Algonquin Mine, the water table is at the exceptionally high altitude of 5,800 feet, owing to seepage from Frost Creek. The ground-water movement at the Algonquin, however, is downward and outward, as shown by the fact that oxidation extends at least 400 feet below the top of the water-saturated zone.

In the Mullin and Morning (Wenger) mines, the water table is relatively high, owing to the nearness of the water-saturated garnet rock and quartzite. From these data, it is concluded that in general oxidation is complete throughout the aerated zone, and in the upper part of the saturated zone, where the ground water moves freely toward its outlet. Oxidized ore, therefore, should be found down at least to an average altitude of about 5,250 feet, or throughout a zone that averages 750 feet in depth.

Reserves

The following estimate includes whatever ore was blocked out December 81, 1928, and in addition the reserves indicated by geologic evidence to be present. As it is restricted to the area previously mentioned, and to a depth of 750 feet, it does not include whatever manganese future exploration may discover outside of these limits. There is, in fact, reason to think that a large amount of manganese ore, probably carbonate, exists at greater depth.

For convenience in estimating reserves, the prism constituting the manganiferous area to a depth of 750 feet, is divided into an upper layer 150 feet in average thickness, called Zone 1; a middle layer 800 feet thick, called zone 2; and a lower layer 300 feet thick, called Zone 3.

Zone 1 is pretty thoroughly explored and, except for a reserve of 60,000 tons, is exhausted. It has yielded all the ore produced to date, except about 60,000 tons that came from zone 2 through the Algonquin shaft.

Zone 2 is partly explored and appears to contain at least the same amount of manganese ore, volume for volume, as Zone 1. Its volume of replaceable limestone, is about one and one-half times that of Zone 1. One and one-half times 658, 000 tons (content of Zone 1) equals 987,000 tons, which is the total original content of Zone 2. As 60,000 tons has been extracted, the reserve in Zone 2 is 927,000 tons.

Zone 3 is not penetrated by mine workings, but its stratigraphy and other geologic features are determinable. It is still within the vertical range in which, as shown by the neighboring Granite Mountain and Bi-Metallic mines, manganese carbonate was originally deposited. Most of it is above water table, and it is assumed to be largely oxidized. It contains a somewhat smaller volume of replaceable limestone than Zone 2 and is estimated, therefore, to contain 800,000 tons of manganese ore, chiefly oxide. Accordingly, the total ore estimated to be remaining in the 750-foot prism, is about 1,780,000 tons, an amount which at the present rate of mining will last for 80 years.

(1) Pardee, J. T., Deposits of manganese ore in
Montana: U. S. Geoi. Survey Bull. 725. pp.
146.174. 1922.

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THE MINING JOURNAL

MONTANA

The United Asbestos Products Corporation has built a mill that can treat 35 tons of crude ore daily, at its property near the Idaho-Montana boundary, and E. R. South of Idaho Falls is gathering a force of men to start milling. Thirty men are employed at the present time. The town has been named Mt. Bestos, and has among its buildings, a school.
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The East Butte Copper Mining Company, Philip F. Beaudin, general manager, Butte, Montana, has declared a dividend of 25 cents a share on its stock. This is the first disbursement made by the company since 1919. The dividend is payable December 21, to stockholders of record November 20.
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The Zonolite Company at Libby, Montana, is going to enlarge its present building, across its full length on the north, to provide additional storage for the processed zonolite, according to General Manager E. N. Ally. During the last few months the management has built ore bins to provide for increased capacity, and has installed an air separator.
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The East Helena smelter, of the American Smelting and Refining Company, intends to install a mechanical stacker, and electrically operated buggies, for handling bullion from the casting machine, to the railroad cars. Major improvements completed within the last few months include:
an aero unit pulverized coal installation for dross smelting reverberatories; a booster fan installation on the blast furnace fuel system; improved sinter crushing installation; change from oil-fired to coke breeze muffles for ignition U. & L. roasters, and improvements in mechanical arrangement for spreading blast furnace charge in the charge car. J. D. MacKenzie is manager of the East Helena smelter.
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Plans have been made for driving a lower crosscut tunnel, 200 feet into the property of the Silver Grouse Mining Company at Troy, Montana, according to Charles H. Curtis, president and general manager. The objective of this crosscut is the downward extension of iron pyrites, with silver and lead values, opened in the exploratory tunnel. A power house is to be constructed for the compressor and other machinery.
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The Butte Homestake Mining Company, Butte, Montana, has sunk a 300-foot shaft in the Muncie Claim, and is starting a new shaft in the Sankey Claim, projected to 1,000 feet. Development is progressing nicely on three levels of the Lavena Claim, and a new surface plant is to be installed at that property. George B. Conway, Box 778, Helena, and E. A. Krussman, have succeeded John Lloyd Davis of New York City, and C. A. D’Arcy as president and trustee, respectively.
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Further constructive improvements announced by Bert B. Davis, president and manager of the Pentabase Mining Company, Wolf Creek, Montana, include a sorting shed, an ore bin, a bunkhouse and a cookhouse. Considerable drifting is being done, and ore of both shipping and milling quality is ready for mining.
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The Amalgamated Metal Mines Company, E. D. Anderson, manager, 54 Owsley Block, Butte, Montana, is opening the lower, or 800-foot level, beyond its present length of 1,900 feet at its property near Superior. The objective is a body of lead-silver-zinc ore opened in the upper, or 800-foot level. The 300-foot level has been retimbered. As soon as connection is established between these levels, the 100-ton mill is to be remodeled.
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The Ideal Mining Company is starting drifting on a 16-foot width of ore, where mineralization has increased with depth, according to P. S. Everett of Anaconda, Montana, president of the company. Development during the past few months was centered on sinking a shaft 47 feet, and drifting about 73 feet.
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A crew of 20 men has started repairing and rebuilding the equipment of the Troy Mines Company at Troy, Montana, in preparation of intensive development this winter. This company has succeeded to all holdings of the Greenough Investment Company of Spokane, including the Snowstorm and the Morning mines; the power plant, which supplies Troy and the district with light and power; the millsites and machinery, and 10 miles of railroad up Callahan Creek to the mines. Samuel B. Holbert, 617-18 Peyton Building, Spokane, is manager of the improvements and new development.
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Milwaukee capitalists have organized the Gold Creek Dredging Company, which is to operate placers in the Gold Creek-Pioneer District in Montana, formerly owned by Patrick Wall and Harry Symons of Butte. Mr. Wall is manager for the new company. A dredge of 8,000-cubic yard capacity has been ordered and will be installed in the spring on the Pioneer side of the property. O. E. Coombs, superintendent of construction, is on the ground making preliminary arrangements for its development, and W. B. Macauley of the Yuba Dredge Manufacturing Company of California, will have charge of assembling the dredge machinery.
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The first shipment has been made by the Basin Montana Tunnel Company, Basin, Montana, from the new high-grade strike on the 400 level of the South Comet Vein, accompanied by two carload shipments from other points in the mine. Drifts are being run east and west on the South Comet showing, a raise put up and a contract has been let to tap the downward extension of the ore. On the 500 level, the ore has been followed more than 200 feet east and west, and ore is showing in both faces. Samuel Barker, Butte, is manager of the company.
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Shipments are being made daily from the Flathead Mine of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, west of Polson, Montana, to the Washoe Sampler at Butte. Consignments average 50 tons daily and the ore averages 2,500 ounces of silver to the ton. Transportation is the principal drawback, and at the present time, necessitates hauling 42 miles to PoIson. A petition has been made to Lake County for the construction of one mile of new road, which will cut down the haul by eight miles and eliminate crossing the divide.
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The Trout Mining Company has purchased the Algonquin Mine in Granite County, Montana, from the Philipsburg Mining Company. In addition to this mine, the Trout Company has purchased the Belle, Belle Fraction, Bear No. 2, Brooklyn, Dead Horse, Franklin, Phimico, Levi Burr, North Peak and the Frost Creek mining claims. Charles A. Hyder, P. 0. Box 222, Philipsburg, Montana, is general superintendent for the Trout organization.
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Directors of the Butte Copper and Zinc Company, A. J. Seligman, president, Butte, Montana, have announced that a dividend of 50 cents a share will be paid shortly. This is the first disbursement since December, 1926, when a similar payment was made.
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rehab

The Mining Journal AUGUST 15, 1931

MONTANA

The report of the Butte Copper and Zinc Company for the quarter ended June 30, 1931, shows a net loss of $14,474, after expenses and taxes, against a net profit of $37,196, or 6 cents a share on the 600,000 shares outstanding in the second quarter of 1930. The report for the first six months in the current year showed a net loss of $15,869, as compared with a net profit of $18,242, or 3 cents a share in the first half of the preceding year.

Ore, assaying $82.68 in gold, 15 per cent lead and 153 ounces silver, has been struck in the Ole mine in the Hog Heaven district in Montana, in a barite formation impregnated with sulphite of silver. Manager Levi Gustead has sent a four-ton shipment to Kellogg for a smelter run. The ore, which assays show runs $140 a ton, was encountered in a large blow-out in a body of barite four feet wide and high with a downward dip. A cavern just above the ore body contained considerable oxide of silver.

The Smuggler Mining Company, Alex. Walker, president and general manager, 110 West Granite Street, Butte, Montana, is milling an average of 25 tons of ore daily from oxidized ores in the western portion of the tunnel, near Sheridan. The ore contains little sulphide and is assaying an average of $10 a ton in gold. Amalgam and riffle sets are placed in the main launders to chicken catch

the coarse gold before it reaches the plates. The ore is ground in a jaw crusher and ball mill and most of the pulp will go through a 50-mesh screen. The company has built its own hydro-electric power plant only a few hundred feet from the mine and generates as much as 250 horsepower, which supplies the camp and runs the machinery. A deposit of sulphide ore, with values in gold and lead, has been opened 100 feet below the tunnel level, and it is probable that flotation machinery will be installed in the mill to treat this deposit. 0. F. Brinton is superintendent.

Pending the complete installation of a dragline dredge, the California-Alder Gulch Corporation, Frank Zichosch, superintendent, Virginia City, Montana, is using a larger crew prospecting. The samplers work in groups of three, shoveling, panning and using sluice boxes, and the gold recovered in most cases pays for the trouble.

The Blue Vein Mining Company has been incorporated with a capitalization of $50,000 by W. F. Noyes, Lewis A. Smith and F. L. Melcher, all of Butte, Montana. This is a re-incorporation, and its property is located south of the poor farm in Butte. Mr. Melcher is head of the Western Iron Works there.

Hydraulic work in the drainage of Cedar Creek, Montana, is still being maintained by the LaCasse faction, with an average of eight men being employed at the work. The diggings are located some seven or eight miles up Cedar Creek from its mouth, near Superior, Montana.

A. C. and F. H. Reeves, Al Johnson and Hans Walchli have leased mineralized property in the vicinity of the Flntliead mine of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in the Hog Heaven district, near Kalispell, Montana. They have started driving a tunnel, through which the property will be prospected by the Reeves Mining Coinpany,

The Montana Sunrise Mining Company, A. H. Litchfield, manager, Troy, Montana, has arranged with the American Distributing Syndicate at 85 Hirbour Building, Butte, organized by L. O. Goodman and others, for finances. The mining company is concentrating on getting its property into production. Things had been pretty slack at this property for a few months and only two men and a cook were at the mine. They have a Diesel engine, but no mill.

It is understood that the Foundation Company of Utah will resume work on the Hecla Consolidated mine at Melrose, Montana, this fall. The Foundation Company is backed by men interested in the Chief Consolidated Mining Company, one of Utah’s dividend payers, and Basil Prescott of Eureka, Utah, is its president. Under his supervision the Foundation Company did some work in the Hecla Consolidated property two years ago.

Dredge materials are on their way from the factory to the Tatem placers on Old Lincoln Gulch, which are being operated by the Lincoln Gulch Placer Mining Company, James E. LaFountain, general manager. Placer operations will be started as soon as the equipment is in place.

The Mineral Hill Gold Mines, Inc., J. A. Flint, manager, Three Forks, Montana, is operating a small mill on its property at Pony, Madison county. The company plans to increase the capacity of the mill and to connect with the lines of the Montana Power Company.