Legal Tender Mine

The Legal Tender Mine is a silver mine located in Beaverhead county, Montana at an elevation of 6,601 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Legal Tender Mine

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead

Location

State: Montana
County: Beaverhead
District: Argenta District

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Claude H. Brown, Dillon, Mt.

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1865
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Pioneer Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Devonian

Name: Dolomite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Devonian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SHENON (1931) REPORTED ORE ASSAYED 300 OZ AG PER TON

Materials

Ore: Galena

Comments

Comment (Geology): RHYOLITE OF LATER AGE THAN THE GRANODIORITE COVERS A WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM OPHIR SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE VALLEY.

Comment (Deposit): MAJORITY OF PRODUCTION WAS FROM PLACER DEPOSIT. THESE ARE NOT, HOWEVER, IN THE GLACIAL MORAINES. THEY ARE IN GRAVELS OF PRESENT STREAM TERRACES AND BENCHES.

Comment (Workings): LAWSON (1973) LISTS PROPERTY AS BEING UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT FOLLOWS A BEDDING PLANE OF THE LOWER MEMBER OF JEFFERSON FM.

Comment (Deposit): MINE WAS ONE OF FIRST SILVER-LEAD MINES DISCOVERED IN MONTANA - SUPPLIED ORE FOR FIRST SMELTER BUILT IN STATE

Comment (Production): ALTHOUGH NO AVAILABLE RECORDED HISTORY OF PRODUCTION SHENON (1931) ESTIMATED PRODUCTION $150,000.

Comment (Location): NEAR "GHOST TOWN" OF BLACKFOOT CITY

Comment (Production): WO3 WAS PRODUCED FROM THE BOULDER ORES: 222 TONS OF 0.5% WO3 AT $2440.

Comment (Development): MINES: ESMERALDA MCKAY, BUMBLE BEE, VICTORY, COON'S TUNGSTEN, FAIRVIEW, DENVER, OPSATA, BUTTERFLY, AJAX, POTRATZ, CYCLONE, LITTLE DASIY, PRISE, FLAGSTAFF, SNOWSHOE, JACK PINE, CARPENTER CREEK, SNOWSHOE CREEK AND OPHIR CREEK PLACERS. ; ECON.COM: MINES FILLED WITH WATER

Comment (Deposit): PLACER DEPOSITS WERE FOUND IN TERRACE DEPOSITS. THE LIMESTONES HAVE BEEN ALTERED IN VARIOUS DEGREES BY THE BOULDER BATHOLITH. MANY PLACES THE GARNET TACTITES WERE HOSTS FOR THE LODE DEPOSITS. SOME LODES WERE DEPOSITED IN VEINS THAT WERE ON ORE NEAR THE CONTACT OF THE LIMESTONE AND THE QUARTZ MONZONITE.

Comment (Workings): PLACER MINES 8 MILES LONG, DEPOSIT DESCRIPTION OF THE FAIRVIEW MINE - SPECULATED THE MORE ORE CAN BE OBTAINED.

References

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 85.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 92.

Reference (Deposit): 1931 COMPILE M.B.M.G., SHENON, P.J., BULL. 6

Reference (Deposit): 1972 COMPILE M.B.M.G., GEACH, R.D., BULL. 85, SIZE & DIRECTIONAL DATA

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.