Mineral Hill Mine

The Mineral Hill Mine is a gold mine located in Park county, Montana at an elevation of 7,218 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: Mineral Hill Mine
Secondary: Mineral Hill TVX
Secondary: Jardine Mine
Secondary: Jardine JV
Secondary: Crevice Mtn. Mine
Secondary: Conrad
Secondary: Ski Slope

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: Montana
County: Park
District: Jardine Mining District

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.

Holdings

Type: Fee Ownership
Type: Located Claim
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: TVX Mineral Hill Inc.
Company ID: 2470128
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Montana
Info Year: 1994
Years: 1994 -

Owner Name: Mineral Hill Mine
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Montana
Info Year: 1990
Years: 1990 - 1994

Production

Year: 1996
Description: Gold Production 17300 T Oz/Yr Gold
Year: 1995
Mined: 164000.000 mt
Description: Gold Production 34900 T Oz/Yr Gold
Year: 1989
Mined: 990000.000 mt
Description: Production From Mine 990000 Mt Ore/A
Year: 1988
Mined: 982500.000 mt
Description: Production From Mine 982500 Mt Ore/A

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Homestake stratiform Au
Plant Type: Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant Subtype: Hydromet
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Combined Methods
Milling Method: Heap Leach-Agglomerate-Carbon Column-Merrill-Crowe
Year First Production: 1989
Discovery Year: 1988
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Homestake stratiform Au

Orebody

Form: Tabular

Structure

Type: L
Structure: N-TRENDING ANTICLINE WITH WELL DEVELOPED CROSS FOLDING

Type: R
Structure: GARDINER THRUST FAULT

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Graywacke
Role: Host
Description: SCHIST & QUARTZITE
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Archean

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Scheelite

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): The total pre-mine resource has been estimated at 0.9 Mt of ore @ 9.33 g/t Au.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE ACQUIRED FROM DATA GATHERED BY GLEN REED IN A 1944 MINERAL INDUSTRY SURVEY (IN BACKUP FILE). "R" RECORD 4 SEE "R" BIBLI. REF 002-003, 1989 RESERVE REF. 1989 RESERVE = 425,000 OZ. CONT. AU.

Comment (Production): 383,992 GM OF GOLD WERE PRODUCED IN 1989. THIS IS A RECOVERY OF APPROXIMATELY 87 PCT. PRODUCED GOLD DORE SPLIT EVENLY BETWEEN THE TWO OWNERS.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): MEAS + INDI RESOURCES, 12/31/96: OPERATION SUSPENDED SEPT 1996 PLACED ON C&M:

Comment (Deposit): TVX GOLD PLACED THE MINE ON CARE AND MAINTENANCE 9-96. CORRECTED MINES ID FROM 2401145 TO 2470128.

Comment (Names): AKA JARDINE MINE AND OTHERS SEE MAS SEQ# 0300670050

Comment (Deposit): Mineralization is hosted by 3.0 to 3.2 Ga lower amphibolite facies grunerite bearing banded iron formation and meta-turbidites on the Wyoming Craton. Three types of ore have been mined, namely: 1). The dominant style where Au is contained in marginal wall rock altered envelopes of arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, hornblende and grunerite sandwiching 0.01 to 1 m thick quartz veins within iron formation, 2). in generally less than 5 m thick banded quartz veins with little or no accompanying wall rock alteration, and 3). in deformed quartz boudins.

Comment (Deposit): Merged data from deposit ID 10270293 (Crevice Mtn. Mine)

Comment (Orebody): ?UPGRADING AND THICKENING OF ORE IN SPECIFIC STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED SITES. CONTROVERSY REMAINS WHETHER THE BIOTITE SCHIST HOSTED QUARTZ ORE IS A REFOLDED PRIMARY STRATABOUND DEPOSIT, STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED VEINS FOLDED INTO GROSS CONFORMITY.? (CUTHILL AND OTHERS, 1989)

Comment (Production): PROD. LEVEL OF 42,000 OZ. 1988 RESERVE= 330,000 CONT. OZ. AU. 1989 PRODUCTION WAS 11,385 OZ.AU FROM MILLING 65,000 MT ORE.

Comment (Orebody): ANTICLINAL FOLDS ALONG WITH HOST ROCK COMPOSITION INFLUENCED FORM, DISTRIBUTION, & TYPE OF DEPOSITION. STOCK GENETICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ORE-BEARING LODES. SULPHIDE MINERALIZATION CONTROLLED BY BEDDING, SCHISTOSITY, CLEAVAGE, TENSION FRACTURES, AND SELVEDGES TO QUARTZ BOUDINS AND VEINS. (CUTHILL AND OTHERS, 1989).

Comment (Reserve-Resource): OVER 200,000 OZ AU, WITH AG, AS, W BEFORE 1948. APPROXIMATELY 240,000 OZ AU FROM 1800?S TO 1948 (TVX ANNUAL REPORT, 1989) FROM 1989 to 1996, 270,000 OZ AU RESOURCE OF 430,000 OZ AU AT CREVICE MOUNTAIN TVX GOLD INC. MILL: CYANIDE LAT LEACHING AND MERRILL-CROWE ZINC PRECIPITATION, FULLY MECHANIZED CUT-AND-FILL AS WELL AS ROOM- AND-PILLAR MINING.

Comment (Geology): N-TRENDING ANTICLINE WITH WELL DEVELOPED CROSS FOLDING ?THE MAJOR FAULTS (100?S OF FEET OF DISPLACEMENT) ON MINERAL HILL ARE THE EAST FAULT AND THE BEAR GULCH FAULT.? (BOTH ARE WEST DIPPING, NORTH TRENDING NORMAL FAULTS (LARAMIDE ?) ARE ALSO NUMEROUS SMALL OFFSET (10?S OF FEET) FAULTS IN THE MINE. ALSO THREE DEFORMATIONAL FOLDING EVENTS WHICH CONTROL ORE DISTRIBUTION (AND POSSIBLY A 4TH). (CUTHILL AND OTHERS, 1989).

Comment (Exploration): 1866 - PLACER GOLD DISCOVERED NEAR JARDINE. 1880?S - LODES BEING WORKED ON MINERAL HILL. 1898 - ?UNCLE JOE? BROWN BUILDS THE BEAR GULCH MINING COMPANY 1899 - MILL BUILT. 1908 - LACK OF CAPITOL FORCES MINES TO SHUT DOWN 1921 - JARDINE MINING COMPANY REOPENED MINES. 1923 - ARSENIC MILL BUILT (ARSENIC USED FOR PESTICIDE FOR BOLL WEEVILS). 1939 - MILL SHUT DOWN. 1948 - FIRE DESTROYED CYANIDE MILL, JARDINE MINING COMPANY SHUTS DOWN. 1964 - PROPERTY SOLD TO DEVELOPER FOR SKI RESORT. 1978 - ANACONDA COMPANY ACQUIRES PROPERTY, BEGINS EXPLORATION. 1979 - ANACONDA SELLS PROPERTY TO HOMESTAKE MINING COMPANY. 1984 - JV WITH AMERICAN COPPER AND NICKEL CO. AND HOMESTAKE. 1988 - HOMESTAKE MINING CO. / AMERICAN COPPER AND NICKEL, CO. (AMERICAN SUBSIDARY OF INCO GOLD COMPANY) 50/50 JOINT VENTURE ANNOUNCE MINE PLANS. 1989 - PRODUCTION RESUMES. 1993 - TVX GOLD ACQUIRES HOMESTAKE?S 50% INTEREST IN MINERAL HILL. 1994 - CREVICE MOUNTAIN DEPOSIT DRILLED OUT; >215,000 OZ AU. 1996 - SEPTEMBER- MINING AND MILLING OPERATIONS SUSPENDED. 2001 - FINAL CLOSURE OF THE TVX GOLD, INC. MINERAL HILL MINE.

Comment (Geology): TWO VEIN TYPES FOUND IN JARDINE LODES. QUARTZ VEINS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH QTZ. SCHISTS & QUARTZITES AND HAVE ERRATIC METAL CONTENTS. ARSENOPYRITE VEINS ASSOC. WITH THE CUMMINGTONITE - HAVE CONSISTENT GOLD CONTENT AND HIGH TENOR. ?GOLD MINERALIZATION OCCURS WITHIN AN ARCHEAN PACKAGE OF METATURBIDITES DOMINATED BY QUARTZ-BIOTITE SCHIST, WITH SUBORDINATE BIOTITE SCHST, IRON FORMATION, AND QUARTZ. DIABASE DIKES CROSSCUT THIS PACKAGE. METAMORPHIC GRADE IS GREENSCHIST TO LOWER AMPHIBOLITE FACIES. FOLDED STRATIFORM ORE IS HOSTED BY SULPHIDE-SILICATE FACIES IRON FORMATION, BIOTITE SCHIST, AND QUARTZ. ARSENOPYRITE, PYRRHOTITE, PYRITE, AND SCHEELITE ACCOMPANY THE GOLD MINERALIZATION.? (CUTHILL AND OTHERS, 1989) ?THE ORE IS CONFINED TO A SINGLE IRON FORMATION AND ENVELOPING SCHISTS WITH QUARTZ UNITS WITHIN THE JARDINE PACKAGE.? (CUTHILL AND OTHERS, 1989).

Comment (Workings): LODES DEVELOPED BY OVER 30 ADITS AND 4 MAIN CUTS. THERE ARE AT LEAST 6 MAJOR VEINS - IRREGULARLY SPACED WITHIN THE LODES - FORMING AN EN ECHELON PATTERN. THEY VARY FROM A FEW CM TO 5 M WIDE. TVX MINERAL HILL MINE WORKED FROM THREE LEVELS: THE 1050, 750, AND THE 450

References

Reference (Deposit): TVX GOLD INC. 1996 ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM, 12/31/96; PP. 30-33.

Reference (Deposit): TVX GOLD INC. ANNUAL IFFORMATION FORM, APRIL 9, 1996, PP. 18-20.

Reference (Deposit): MINING JOURNAL, 9-13-96, P.206.

Reference (Deposit): THE MINING RECORD, VOL 107, #37, SEPT., 11, 1996, P1.

Reference (Deposit): WILKINSON, TODD. MINING WITH A LIGHT TOUCH. (IDAHO FALLS) POST REGISTER. MAR. 24, 1992, P. A1.

Reference (Deposit): ROCKY MOUNTAIN PAYDIRT. ACN-HOMESTAKE GOLD VENTURE HIGHLY PRAISED. OCT. 1989, PP. 4A-8A.

Reference (Deposit): WESTERN TECH. AND ENG. INC. OPERATION PERMIT APPLICATION JARDINE JOINT VENTURE PROJECT., V. 1-2, MAR. 1984, 103 PP.

Reference (Deposit): WALKER,D.W.,1963, TUNGSTEN RESOURCES OF WESTERN MONTANA: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES RI 6334, P.78-97

Reference (Reserve-Resource): TVX GOLD INC. 1996 ANNUAL REPORT, PP. 11, 36.

Reference (Deposit): SEAGER, G. F., 1944, GOLD, ARSENIC, AND TUNGSTEN DEPOSITS OF THE JARDINE-CREYASSE MOUNTAIN DISTRICT PARK COUNTY, MONTANA: MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. MEMOIR 23, P. 44, 78.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): TVX GOLD INC. ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM, APRIL 9, 1996,

Reference (Reserve-Resource): HOMESTAKE MINING CO. FINANCE DEPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION, MARCH 1990, 31 PP.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BUL. #129, 1991.

Reference (Ownership): TVX GOLD INCORPORATED 1994 ANNUAL REPORT. P27.

Reference (Deposit): MONT. DEPT. OF STATE LANDS AND U.S. FOREST SERVICE. JARDINE JOINT VENTURE PROJECT, FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, APR. 1986.

Reference (Geology): Smith D S 1996 - Hydrothermal alteration at the Mineral Hill Mine, Jardine, Montana: a lower Amphibolite facies Archean lode Gold deposit of probable synmetamorphic origin: in Econ. Geol. v91 pp 723-750

Reference (Deposit): REED, G.C., 1950, MINES & MINERAL DEPOSITS - PARK COUNTY, MONTANA: U.S. BUREAU MINES INF. CIRC. 7546.

Reference (Deposit): WEDOW AND OTHERS, 1975, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE ABSAROKA PRIMITIVE AREA AND VICINITY, PARK AND SWEET GRASS COUNTIES, MONTANA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1391-B.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG SPECIAL PUBLICATION 75, P. 114.

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.