The Del Monte Mine is a silver, gold, copper, and lead mine located in Beaverhead county, Montana at an elevation of 6,801 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
Elevation: 6,801 Feet (2,073 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead
Lat, Long: 45.195, -112.95750
Map: View on Google Maps
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.
Del Monte Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Del Monte Mine
Secondary: Bonaparte
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Tertiary: Antimony
Location
State: Montana
County: Beaverhead
District: Blue Wing District
Land Status
Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Sarah M. Anderson
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1865
Discovery Year: 1865
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Pioneer Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: L
Description: Extensive Faulting, Trending Mainly To The North And Northeast.
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation, Silver Leaching.
Rocks
Name: Diorite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pliocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Mississippian
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: BONAPARTE VEIN ASSAYED 20 TO 40 OZ. AG/TON. DEL MONTE VEIN AVERAGES 60 OZ. AG/TON WITH ASSAYS AS HIGH AS 450 OZ/TON.
Materials
Ore: Cerargyrite
Ore: Stibnite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrargyrite
Ore: Polybasite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Stibiconite
Gangue: Calcite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): TWO VEINS IN GRANODIORITE. THE BONAPARTE IS LARGER (6-FT. WIDE) BUT LOWER GRADE THAN THE DEL MONTE (4-14 INCHES WIDE). SULPHIDE ORE APPEARS ABOUT 50-FT BELOW THE SURFACE.
Comment (Production): MOST PRODUCTIVE YEARS WERE 1890-1899. PRODUCTION AS EARLY AS 1870.
Comment (Development): SIX PATENTED CLAIMS, DEL MONTE, BONAPARTE, MALTBY S., ISABELLA, FRANCIS H., AND BAREHILL.
Comment (Workings): DEL MONTE INCLINE SHAFT REACHED A DEPTH OF 253 FEET. (FLOODED, 1931). OTHER UNDERGROUND WORKINGS WERE DRIVEN OFF THE DEL MONTE SHAFT.
Comment (Geology): VEINS IN LIMESTONE HAVE LOW SILVER CONTENT BUT CONTAIN SMALL, HIGH-GRADE ANTIMONY ORE DEPOSITS.
Comment (Deposit): ORE WAS RICH NEAR SURFACE BUT SILVER CONTENT DECLINED NOTABLY BY 60 FOOT DEPTH. AT 80 FEET IT CHANGED TO SULPHIDE ORE, (PYRARGYRITE). ATTEMPTS TO REOPEN PROPERTY IN EARLY 1920'S WERE ABANDONED AFTER A YEARS WORK. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1860'S
References
Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 574, P. 71.
Reference (Deposit): SHENON, P.J., 1931, GEOL. AND ORE DEPOSITS - BANNACK/ARGENTA, MONTANA: MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL, BULL. 6, P. 34-36
Reference (Deposit): USGS MGI I-433
Reference (Deposit): BERGER, B.R., 1979, GEOCHEM. RECON. OF MINING DISTRICTS-SO. PIONEER MTNS., MONT: U.S. GEOL. SUR. OPEN-FILE REPORT 79-1426.
Reference (Deposit): GEACH, R.D., 1972, MINES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS, BEAVERHEAD CO., MT: MT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL., BULL. 85, P 99.
Reference (Deposit): MBMG BULL 85, P. 99.
Reference (Deposit): 1914 COMPILE WINCHELL, A.N., U.S.G.S. BULL. 574
Reference (Deposit): 1931 COMPILE M.B.M.G. BULL. 6
Reference (Deposit): 1965 GEOLMAP LOWELL, W.R., U.S.G.S. M.G.I. MAP I-433
Reference (Deposit): 1972 COMPILE M.B.M.G. BULL. 85
Reference (Deposit): 1979 RECON BERGER, B.R., U.S.G.S. OPEN-FILE 79-1426
Reference (Production): M.B.M.G. BULL. 6; M.B.M.G. BULL. 85.
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.
