Black Pine Mine

Site Name

Primary: Black Pine Mine
Secondary: Black Pine Mine and Plant

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Commodity

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

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Location

State: Montana
County: Granite
District: Black Pine District

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Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
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.

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Holdings

Type: Located Claim

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Workings

Type: Underground

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Ownership

Owner Name: Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: New York
Info Year: 1990
Years: 1990 -

Owner Name: Inspiration Resources Corp.
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: New York
Info Year: 1983

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Production

Year: 1991
Description: Silver Ore 0
Year: 1990
Description: Silver Ore 8167 Metric Tons Ore/Year
Year: 1984
Description: Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 182.7 Gm/Mt Ag 251000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1983
Description: Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 173.1 Gm/Mt Ag 236000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1982
Description: Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 215.7 Gm/Mt Ag 183000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1981
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 98000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1980
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 98000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1979
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 67000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1978
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 70000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1977
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 58000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1976
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 62000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1975
Description: Silver-Copper Ore 49000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
Year: 1897
Time Period: 1885-1897
Description: Early Production 1885-1897 62199999 Grams Of Silver
Year: 1989
Time Period: 1885-1989
Mined: 1339000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Year: 1993
Description: Silver Ore 5155 Metric Tons Ore/Year
Year: 1992
Description: Silver Ore 8032 Metric Tons Ore/Year

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Plant
Deposit Type: Polymetallic veins
Plant Type: Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant Subtype: Flotation
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Year First Production: 1882
Discovery Year: 1882
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

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Physiography

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

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

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Orebody

Form: TABULAR

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Structure

Type: R
Structure: PHILIPSBURG BATHOLITH; PHILIPSBURG OVERTHRUST

Type: L
Structure: MARSHAL CREEK SYNCLINE

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: OXIDATION

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Rocks

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Description: RED SHALE
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartzite
Role: Host
Description: QUARTZITE
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Tennantite
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Pyromorphite
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Huebnerite
Ore: Gold
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Pyrargyrite
Unknown: Limonite
Unknown: Chalcopyrite
Unknown: Argentite

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Comments

Comment (Deposit): 4 FISSURE VEINS IN QUARTZITE, THE COMBINATION VEIN WAS THE MAIN PRODUCER. COMBINATION VEIN: 0.5-4 FT WIDE, EXPLORED ALONG STRIKE 1900 FT AND DOWNDIP 2200 FT, ITS STRIKE LENGTH MAY BE GT 5500 FT, THE VEIN IS CUT AND OFF SET BY A SYSTEM OF NORMAL STRIKE FAULTS, THE VEIN NEARLY EVERYWHERE FOLLOWS THE BEDDING PLANE OF THE QUARTZITE. LITTLE WORK WAS DONE ON THE UPPER, TIM SMITH, AND ONYX VEINS. ALL 4 VEINS ARE SIMILAR

Comment (Geology): ON THE SURFACE 2 SYSTEMS OF FAULTING: ONE SET STRIKE ESE AND DIPS N, 2ND SET STRIKE ESE AND DIP S. GRANODIORITE OUTCROPS 1 MI N OF MINE

Comment (Workings): 8 VERTICAL SHAFTS, 3 TUNNELS, DRIFTS, INCLINES, CROSSCUTS (1906). ALL SURFACE OPENINGS ARE CLOSED EXCEPT THE LEWIS SHAFT AND COMBINATION ADIT. 10732 FT OF BULLDOZING. ?THE COMBINATION VEIN WAS DEVELOPED 2,400 FEET DOWN DIP AND 3,300 FEET ALONG STRIKE? (ALDER, 1974). OVER 2,000 FT OF WORKINGS FLOTATION MILL

Comment (Exploration): BLACK PINE TAILINGS OWNER: AUGUST BUSCHMANN ESTATE, SEATTLE, WASH. 98100; OPERATOR: BEN WALKUP, PHILIPSBURG, MT. BLACK PINE DUMP OWNER: JOHN C. BORK, 519 W. PORPHYRY, BUTTE, MT. 59701; OPERATOR: JOHN C. BORK. 1882 - DISCOVERED 1885 - FEW TONS OF ORE PUT THROUGH THE HOPE MILL IN PHILIPSBURG 1887 - COMBINATION MINING AND MILLING COMPANY PURCHASED HOLDINGS OF THE BACK PINE MINING COMPANY. 1888 - COMBINATION MILL BUILT. 1888-1897 - OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY, UNTIL LOW SILVER PRICES AND MINED OUT OXIDES CLOSED THE MINE. 1937 - SHUT DOWN 1974 - MINE REOPENED. 1985 - (JANUARY) MINE SHUT DOWN. 1986 - (MARCH) MINE SHUT DOWN. 1987 - (MAY) INSPIRATION OPENS BLACK PINE AGAIN. 1988 - MINE CLOSED BECAUSE OF LOW SILVER PRICES

Comment (Economic Factors): 1888-1897 - PRODUCTION WAS 2,135,000 OZ AG, AND 1,411 OZ GOLD (ANON, 1963). ($1,496,862)

Comment (Production): SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTION SINCE 1958.

Comment (Geology): THE MILL IN PHILIPSBERG BEGAN OPERATIONS IN JANUARY OF 1983. IT IS NOT OWNED BY INSPIRATION CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO. IT WAS BUILT AND IS OWNED BY THE ANTONELLI FAMILY. MANPOWER BLACK PINE EMPLOYEES OF EMPLOYEES PRIVATE TOLL MILL MINE OPERATORS 35 TECHNICAL 2 MAINTENANCE 10 SUPERVISORY 5 MILL OPERATORS 8 MAINTENANCE 1 LABORATORY 3 TECHNICAL 1 SUPERVISORY 1 HOURLY WAGE RATES- AUGUST 1982. DAY AFTERNOON GRAVEYARD SHIFT SHIFT SHIFT LABORER 11.18 11.48 11.73 OPERATOR 11.58 11.88 12.03 MILLWRIGHT 11.85 12.15 12.30 BENEFITS PAYABLE BY THE EMPLOYER ARE ESTIMATED TO BE 30% OF BASE PAY. TECHNICAL PERSONNEL SALARIES RANGE FROM $25,000-40,000 PER YEAR AND MANAGEMENT SALARIES RANGE FROM $40,000-50,000 PER YEAR. ALL PERSONNEL ARE NON-UNION

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVES BASED ON PUBLISHED DATA BY INSPIRATION RESOURCES CORP. 1984 FORM 10-K, P 32, PROVEN RESERVES AS OF DEC. 31, 1984. .

Comment (Reserve-Resource): 1/97: ORE GRADE CALCULATED FROM INFORMATION GIVEN BY THE OWNER ON 12/96. THE OWNER STATES THAT ADDITIONAL DRILLING COULD EXPAND THE EXISTING RESERVES "CONSIDERABLY." RESERVES ARE THOSE FROM THE 12/96 REPORT ON BLACK PINE THAT WERE CALCULATED BY A. SILVA: THE "COMBINATION VEIN" PLUS THE "TIM SMITH" VEIN.

Comment (Ownership): INSPIRATION CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO. IS 50 PERCENT CONTROLLED BY HUDSON BAY MINING AND SMELTING CO., LTD., TORONTO, CANADA.

Comment (Deposit): THE MINE IS IN SECTIONS 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, AND 18, APPROX. 14 KM NW OF PHILIPSBURG, MT. ACCESSIBLE YEAR ROUND. THE PROPERTY IS MADE UP OF 57 PATENTED MINING CLAIMS AND 12 PATENTED MILLSITES CONTAINING APPROX 1027 ACRES AND APPROX 127 UNPATENTED CLAIMS. UPDATED 5/97. OPERATOR: BLACK PINE MINING CO. INTERMITTENT OPERATION TO PROVIDE FLUX FOR EAST HELENA SMELTER. 1/97: CAPACITY WAS CALCULATED FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OWNER THAT THE MINE HAS A 1700 ST/DAY HEAVY MEDIA SEPARATION FACILITY, WHICH IS USED TO PRECONCENTRATE THE ORE PRIOR TO SHIPMENT TO THE FLOATATION MILL. THE CAPACITY CALCULATION WAS: 1700 ST/DAY X 365 DAYS/YR X 0.8 X 0.9074 MT/ST = 450KMT. 1/97: FROM THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OWNER ON 12/96, THERE WAS NONE FOR COPPER GRADES, ONLY FOR SILVER AND GOLD. SO THE PREVIOUS COPPER GRADE OF 0.33% WAS DELETED.

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References

Reference (Geology): PRINZ, W.C., 1967, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PHILIPSBURG DISTRICT GRANITE COUNTY, MONTANA; U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1237, 66 P.?

Reference (Deposit): DIRECTORY OF MINING ENTERPRISES FOR 1974-75, MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN, NO. 95, P. 8.

Reference (Deposit): EMMONS, W. H., AND CALKINS, F. C., 1913, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PHILIPSBERG QUADRANGLE, MT: USGS PP 78,P252-255.

Reference (Deposit): ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1975, E/MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS:ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, MINING IFORMATIONALSYSTEMS, MCGRAW-HILL, P. 155.

Reference (Deposit): DIRECTORY OF MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS:ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, MINING IFORMATIONALSYSTEMS, MCGRAW-HILL, P. 155.

Reference (Deposit): ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1976, TRACKLESS MINING ON A SMALL SCALE: E/MJ, SEPT. 1976, P. 98.

Reference (Deposit): KROHN, D. H., AND WEIST, M. M., 1977, PRINCIPAL INFORMATION ON MONTANA MINES;: MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY SPECIAL PUBLICATION 75, P. 57.

Reference (Deposit): WALKER, D.D., 1960, TUNGSTEN RESOURCES OF MONT: DEPOSITS OF THE PHILIPSBERG BATHOLITH, GRANITE AND DEER LODGE COUNTIES: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES.

Reference (Deposit): WORLD MINING, SEPT. 1982, P. 67.

Reference (Deposit): MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, MARCH 1980, P. 12.

Reference (Deposit): E/MJ, 45 TOP U.S. SILVER MINES, JUNE, 1982, P. 15.

Reference (Deposit): MCLAUGHLIN, DAN, OPERATION OF AN OPTICAL ORE-SORTING SYSTEM, MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, P. 26.

Reference (Deposit): COLE, J. W., 1955 COMBINATION MINE: DMEA DEFENSE CONTRACT,81-82.-E209, 20 P.

Reference (Deposit): MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 129, 1991,

Reference (Deposit): "BLACK PINE MINE, GRANITE COUNTY, MONTANA", SENT TO MMAS BY THE TROY UNIT MANAGER ON 12/96.

Reference (Geology): VOLIN, M.E., ROBY, R.N., AND COLE, J.W., 1952, INVESTIGATION OF THE COMBINATION SILVER-TUNGSTEN MINE: USBM REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 4914.

Reference (Geology): WALKER, D.D., 1960, TUNGSTEN RESOURCES OF MONTANA: DEPOSITS OF THE PHILIPSBURG BATHOLITH: USBM REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 5612, P. 2, 6, 8-13.

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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.