Crystal Mine

The Crystal Mine is a gold mine located in Jefferson county, Montana at an elevation of 7,799 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: Crystal Mine

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Silver
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Lead

Location

State: Montana
County: Jefferson

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Environmental Factors): NO MILL TAILINGS WERE OBSERVED AT THIS SITE DURING THE INVESTIGATION. ONE DISCHARGING ADIT WAS IDENTIFIED. THE PH MEASUREMENT IN THE ADIT DISCHARGE WAS 3.41. MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS FOR ARSENIC, CADMIUM, AND COPPER WERE EXCEEDED IN THE DISCHARGE. WASTE ROCK WAS OBSERVED DIRECTLY IN THE UNCLE SAM GULCH DRAINAGE. OBSERVED RELEASES TO UNCLE SAME GULCH WERE DOCUMENTED FOR ARSENIC, CADMIUM, COPPER, IRON, LEAD, AND ZINC. MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS WERE EXCEEDED FOR ARSENIC, CADMIUM, AND COPPER IN THE DOWNSTREAM SAMPLE; THESE EXCEEDANCES WERE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE SITE. THE U.S. DEPARMENT OF ENERGY WAS CONDUCTING A RESEARCH PROJECT AT THIS SITE AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION. SETTLING PONDS WERE BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE. TWO POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS OPEN ADITS AND A HAZARDOUS LOADOUT STRUCTURE WERE IDENTIFIED AT THE SITE.

References

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF STATE LANDS. ABANDONED HARDROCK MINES

Reference (Deposit): PRIORITY SITES, SUMMARY REPORT, MARCH 1994, P. 5-91.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY BULLETIN 95, 1975, P. 11.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY BULLETIN 16, 1960, P. 28.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY MEMOIR 31, 1949, P. 38.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES & GEOLOGY MEMOIR 20, 1940, P. 37.

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.