Golden Sunlight Mine and Plant

The Golden Sunlight Mine and Plant is a gold mine located in Jefferson county, Montana at an elevation of 5,400 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: Golden Sunlight Mine and Plant
Secondary: Sunlight
Secondary: Golden Sunlight
Secondary: Golden Sunlight Group
Secondary: Minera Hill
Secondary: And Excelsior

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Silver

Location

State: Montana
County: Jefferson
District: Cardwell

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

Type: Fee Ownership
Type: Located Claim
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Golden Sunlight Mines, Inc.
Home Office: Montana
Info Year: 1995
Years: 1990 -

Owner Name: Placer Dome Inc.
Company ID: 2401040
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Canada
Info Year: 1995
Years: 1990 -

Production

Year: 1996
Description: Gold Production 117931 Tr Oz/Yr
Year: 1996
Description: Ore Mill Feed @ 2.06 G/Mt Au 2283000 Mt Ore
Year: 1995
Description: Ore Mill Feed @ 1.79 G/Mt Au 2027000 Mt Ore
Year: 1995
Description: Gold Production 89799 Tr Oz/Yr
Year: 1994
Description: Gold 50097 T Oz/Yr Au
Year: 1993
Description: Gold 121618 T Oz/Yr Au
Year: 1992
Description: Gold 103870 T Oz/Yr Au
Year: 1986
Description: Ore Containing 1.611 G/Mt Au 2106000 Mt/Ore
Year: 1985
Description: Ore Containing 1.65 Gm/Mt Au 1972000 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1984
Description: Ore Containing 1.65 Gm/Mt Au 1864000 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1983
Description: Ore Containing 1.69 Gm/Mt Au 1555000 Metric Tonees Ore
Year: 1945
Description: Gross Value 106,882 9199 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1944
Description: Gross Value 177,004 13 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1943
Description: Gross Value 185,267 14 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1942
Description: Gross Value 156,692 14 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1941
Description: Gross Value 108,233 4 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1940
Description: Gross Value 72,435 4 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1939
Description: Gross Value 276,311 13199 Metric Tonnes
Year: 1938
Description: Gross Value 55,440 3 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1937
Description: Gross Value 29,394 1 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1936
Description: Gross Value $149,747 4 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1935
Time Period: 1917-1935
Description: 1917-1935 Gross Value 226,000 9 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1917
Time Period: 1910-1917
Description: 1910-1917 Gross Value 200,000 4 Metric Tonnes Ore
Year: 1910
Time Period: 1890-1910
Description: 1890-1910 Gross Value $1,500,000 68000 Metric Tonnes Ore

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Plant
Deposit Type: Au-Ag-Te vein
Plant Type: Leach
Plant Subtype: Hydromet
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Carbon-In-Pulp-Electrowin
Year First Production: 1983
Discovery Year: 1890
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Alkaline Au-Te (Au-Ag-Te veins)

Orebody

Form: ELLIPSOIDAL SHAPE

Structure

Type: L
Structure: Golden Sunlight Fault Trends North - South And Dips 45 Deg E.

Type: R
Structure: Boulder Batholith, Lombard Overthrust

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Early Pliocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Chalcocite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Silver
Unknown: Gold

Comments

Comment (Commodity): AURIFEROUS PYRITE ASSOCIATED WITH QUARTZ VEINS, MINERALIZING SOLUTIONS APPARENTLY INJECTED INTO IRREGULAR VEIN SYSTEM

Comment (Economic Factors): MINE EQUIPMENT LIST - 1983 DESCRIPTION QUANTITY TRUCKS-WABCO 60 ST 5 WATER TRUCK 1 D8 BULLDOZERS 2 D6 DOZER (TAILINGS) 1 988B FRONT END LOADER 1 14G GRADER 1 AIR TRACK DRILL 1 D40K 6 DRILL 1 ANFO TRUCK 1 BE 155B 8 YD ELECTRIC SHOVEL 1 WHEN THE MINE REACHS FULL PRODUCTION, THERE WILL BE 13 TRUCKS IN THE FLEET, AND 3 155B ELECTRIC SHOVELS.

Comment (Economic Factors): GOLDEN SUNLIGHT TEMPORARILY CEASED MILLING OPERATION FROM 6/14/94 TILL 2/6/95 DUE TO GROUND MOVEMENT.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): TOTAL DEMON. RESERVES, 12/31/96: ("R" RECORD 7 ("R" RECORDS 5 + 6)). PROVEN + PROBABLE + MEASURED + INDICATED ORE:

Comment (Location): THIS PROPERTY INVOLVES PORTIONS OF SECTIONS 19, 20, 28, 29 AND 30, T. 2N., R. 3W, MPM CORRECT MINES ID FORM 2401417 (PLACER AMEX INC.) TO MINES ID 2401040 (PLACER DOME INC.)

Comment (Development): PROPERTY DEVELOPED BY AT LEAST 15 ADITS AND PITS AND SEVERAL SURFACE CUTS ON EAST SIDE OF RIDGE INCLUDING THE ?BACORN? LEVEL OR ADIT AND THE ?OHIO? LEVEL OR ADIT. EARLY MINING WAS PREDOMINANTLY BY UNDERGROUND WORKINGS. OPEN-PIT STARTED IN 1981 TO PRESENT (2000). SLATED FOR CLOSURE IN 2002 (AS OF 06/2000).

Comment (Geology): THE PROTEROZOIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS CONTAIN SYNSEDIMENTARY MINERALIZATION IN THE FORM OF HIGH-SULFIDE HORIZONS AND FINELY DISSEMINATED DIAGENETIC MINERALIZATION. AUTHIGENIC K-SPAR IS ALSO PRESENT. SAMPLES OF THE SYNSEDIMENTARY MINERALIZATION THAT APPEAR NOT TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE EPIGENETIC PROCESSES CARRY LOW-LEVEL GOLD IN THE 0.01 OZ/TON (0.031 G/TONNE) RANGE. THIS SUGGESTS THAT THE GOLD WAS DEPOSITED WITH THE SYN-SEDIMENTARY SULFIDES. THIS LOW-LEVEL GOLD MAY HAVE SERVED AS THE SOURCE FOR SOME OF THE METALS IN THE EPIGENETIC BRECCIA PIPE. THE SIMILAR MULTIELEMENT SIGNATURE BETWEEN THE SYNSEDIMENTARY SYSTEM AND BRECCIA PIPE ALSO SUPPORTS THE POSSIBILITY OF EPIGENETIC REMMOBILIZATION OF METALS. (FOSTER AND SMITH, 1995)

Comment (Production): 1989 PROD.= 111,539 OZ. AU. FROM 2,268,000 MT ORE TREATED.

Comment (Deposit): ORE IN IRREGULAR VEIN SYSTEM. MINERALIZED AREA HAS ELLIPSOIDAL SHAPE WITH NORTH - SOUTH AXIS OF 1400 FT, EAST - WEST AXIS OF 600 FT AND DEPTH OF 400 FT. THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT IS CURRENTLY INTERPRETED AS A SHALLOW EPIGENETIC EPITHERMAL SYSTEM, LIKELY TO BE FORMED IN RESPONSE TO LATITE PORPHYRY MAGMATISM. BRECCIA FORMATION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A PASSIVEPROCESS, ESSENTAILLY CRACKING THE HOST ROCKS IN PLACE WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE CLAST TRANSPORTATION. THE WATER TO WALLROCK RATIO APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN LOW, HYDROTHERMAL METASOMATISM WAS WEAK, AND THE SYSTEM MAY HAVE BEEN CAPPED BY SILICA CONDENSATE. MINERALIZING FLUIDS WERE COOL AND DILUTE. (FOSTER, 1989).

Comment (General): TWO MAJOR NORTHERLY-TRENDING, HIGH-ANGLE NORMAL FAULTS, THE ST.PAUL FAULT TO THE WEST AND GOLDEN SUNLIGHT FAULT TO THE EAST OF THE PIT, FORM A HORST WITHIN WHICH THE PROJECT AREA IS LOCATED. IT IS A CONTINUOUS STRUCTURE STRIKING NORTH-SOUTH AND THEN, SOUTH OF THE PIT, BENDING TO THE SOUTHWEST. MINOR EAST-WEST NORMAL AND REVERSE FAULTS TRANSECT THE HORST AND CUT THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT AND ST. PAUL FAULTS. TWO SETS OF FRACTURES ARE EVIDENT IN THE AREA. ONE SET PARALLELS THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT FAULT AND THE OTHER TRENDS NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. (FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF STATE LANDS, HELENA, MAY 30, 1990) THE PRECAMBRIAN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS IN THE VICINITY OF THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT MINE FORM A HOMOCLINE, WITH BEDS STRIKING NORTHWESTERLY AND DIPPING 15 DEGREES TO 35 DEGREES NORTHEAST; A FEW LOCAL, SMALL-SCALE FLEXURES OR ROLLS OCCUR IN THE SHALES. (AGETON AND OTHERS, 1969).

Comment (General): SERICITIC ALTERATION OF ALL BUT THE LATER LAMPROPHYRE DIKES (RAMBOSEK, 1946). ALTERATION CONSISTS OF PYRITIZATION, SILICIFICATION AND DECARBONIZATION WITH AN ALTERATION MINERAL ASSEMBLAGE CONTAINING SILICA, PYRITE, BARITE, SERICITE, CHALCOPYRITE, GALENA, SPHALERITE, AND MOLYBDENITE (ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, MDSL, MAY 30,1990). THE BRECCIA IS SURROUNDED BY PERVASIVE WHITE CLAY/PYRITE ALTERATION. THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE BRECCIA (NOW MINED OUT) CONTAINED STRONG SILICA FLOODING. THE CURRENTLY EXPOSED (DEEPER) PORTION OF THE BRECCIA LACKS THIS STONG METASOMATISM. HERE, STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED MINERALIZATION CONSISTS OF MASSIVE SULPHIDE INFILLINGS WITH LITTLE OR NO ALTERATION HALOES. FELDSPAR-DESTRUCTIVE ALTERATION IN LATITE IS EXTREMELY VARIABLE AND RANGES FROM INCIPIENT CLAY DUSTINGS TO PERVASIVE REPLACEMENT, BUT FELDSPAR GRAINS ARE ALWAYS EASILY RECOGNIZABLE. SILICA FLOODING IS WEAK, AND THE INTENSITY OF ARGILLIZATION IS SIMILAR TO THAT FOUND IN SURROUNDING ROCKS. (FOSTER, 1989) THE MINE IS SITUATED CENTRALLY WITH RESPECT TO A DISTRICT-SCALE PORPHYRY STYLE METAL ZONATION CONSISTING OF AN AU-MO CORE HALOED BY AG-PB, THEN MN. POTASSIC ALTERATION AND MOLYBDENITE MINERALIZATION OCCUR IN THE FELSIC INTRUSION. THE BRECCIA PIPE APPEARS TO BE GENETICALLY RELATED TO A MOLYBDENUM PORPHYRY SYSTEM AT DEPTH. THE DISTRICT-SCALE ALTERATION CONSISTS OF WIDESPREAD BLEACHING AND PYRITIZATION, AND LOCAL SILICIFICATION. HOWEVER, TYPICAL PHYLLIC AND PROPYLITIC PORPHYRY-STYLE ALTERATION ZONATION HAS NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTER OF THE NONREACTIVE SILICICLASTIC HOST ROCKS THAT DID NOT FRACTURE WELL AND INHIBITED FLUID FLOW. ALSO, THE SHALLOW DEPTH OF EMPLACEMENT MAY HAVE CAUSED RAPID COOLING AND PERHAPS ALLOWED AN INFLUX OF METORIC WATERS TO RAPIDLY TERMINATE THE HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM. (FOSTER AND SMITH, 1995)

Comment (Production): MILLING BY SIZE REDUCTION, THEN CYANIDE VAT LEACH (12 400,000 GALLON LEACH TANKS), WASHING AND TREATMENT OF SLIME FRACTION BY CARBON ADSORPTION USING CARBON-IN-PULP TANKS AND UP-FLOW CARBON COLUMNS. THE GOLD IS REMOVED FROM THE CARBON IN PRESSURE STRIPPING VESSELS USING A CAUSTIC CYANIDE SOLUTION. THE SAND FRACTION GOES TO A SAND TAILING RETREATMENT USING GRAVITY CONCENTRATION IN SPIRAL SHAPED LAUNDERS.

Comment (General): ?THE MINE IS CENTERED ON A SILICEOUS BRECCIA PIPE WHICH CONTAINS DISSEMINATED MINERALIZATION THAT EXTENDS MORE THAN 100 FEET INTO THE WALLROCK IN SILICIFIED FRACTURES. THE PIPE IS AN IRREGULAR OVAL, APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET IN DIAMETER, WHICH PLUNGES 35 DEGREES TO THE WEST. INDIVIDUAL BRECCIA FRAGMENTS MAY BE GREATER THAN 30 FEET IN SIZE AND CONSIST OF ALL ROCK TYPES EXCEPT FOR THE LAMPROPHYRES.? ?GOLD OCCURS AS DISSEMINATED PARTICLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PYRITE IN THE BRECCIA MATRIX, AURIFEROUS PYRITE, AND MINOR TELLURIDE MINERALS. SUPERIMPOSED ACROSS THE BRECCIA PIPE AND INTO THE SURROUNDING WALL ROCK ARE NORTHEAST TRENDING GOLD-QUARTZ VEINS THAT MAY CONTAIN PYRITE, GALENA, SPHALERITE, AND BARITE (PORTER AND RIPLEY, 1985). THE EXISTING PIT WALL ROCK IS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF TERTIARY LATITE PORPHYRY, AND GREYSON AND NEWLAND FORMATIONS OF THE BELT SUPERGROUP.? (FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, MDSL, MAY 30, 1990). ?GOLD MINERALIZATION OCCURS WITHIN AND AROUND A PIPE-SHAPED BRECCIA WHICH CUTS THE PROTEROZOIC ROCKS AND LATITE PORPHYRY. THE BRECCIA IS APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET IN DIAMETER, AND PLUNGES 35 DEGREES TO THE WEST-SOUTHWEST. OVER 1,200 VERTICAL FEET OF BRECCIA HAVE BEEN DRILLED , AND IT REMAINS OPEN AT DEPTH. THE MINERALIZED BRECCIA CONTAINS LATITE CLASTS AND IS CUT BY THE POST-MINERAL LAMPROPHYRE DIKES, THEREBY BRACKETING THE AGE OF MINERALIZATION AS YOUNGER THAN THE LATITE AND OLDER THAN LAMPROPHYRE MAGMATISM.? (FOSTER, 1989). ?MUCH OF THE 5,000 TO 8,000 FOOT-THICK PROTEROZOIC SECTION HERE IS INTERPRETED AS A PROGRADATIONAL BASIN PLAIN/SUBMARINE FAN/SLOPE COMPLEX. SHELF AND ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS OVERLIE THE COMPLEX IN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PART OF THE AREA, RESPECTIVELY.? (FOSTER AND OTHERS, 1995).

Comment (Deposit): Merged data from Deposit ID 10071326 (Golden Sunlight Group)

Comment (Development): 1890- FIRST CLAIMS STAKED BY A.H. HEDLEY. 1890-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT AND MINING CO. ACQUIRED HEDLEY?S CLAIMS AND STAKED CLAIMS ON MINERAL HILL. 1895-STAMP MILL CONSTRUCTED BY AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT; MILLING EFFORTS NOT SUCCESSFUL; ABANDONED IN 1905. 1890-1910-ORE SHIPPED TO SMELTERS FROM ?OLD SUNLIGHT? WORKINGS. ESTIMATED PRODUCTION FOR THIS PERIOD IS 75,000 TONS OF ORE HAVING A GROSS VALUE OF $1,500,000. 1904-PROPERTY SOLD TO EUGENE RING OF BUTTE 1906-40-TON CYANIDE MILL WAS BUILT; ABANDONED BEFORE 1910. 1910-1917-PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY H.C. BACORN AND ASSOCIATES. 1917-1935-PROPERTY MINED ON SMALL SCALE BY LESSEES. 1920-J.B. WELLCOME AND ALEX MCKAY GAINED CONTROL OF THE PROPERTY; LATER, THEIR HEIRS GIVE ANACONDA COMPANY OPTION TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY. ANACONDA DECLINES AFTER EXPLORATION IN 1935. 1936/1937-A.O. SMITH OBTAINS LEASE AND OPTION TO PURCHASE SUNLIGHT HOLDINGS FROM WELLCOME AND MCKAY HEIRS. 1938-PRODUCTION OF A SMALL AMOUNT OF DIRECT SHIPPING ORE. 1939-SMITH SUB-LEASES THE PROPERTY; LESSEES SHIP SMALL QUANTITIES OF ORE UNTIL 1946. 1946-MARTIN BROTHERS TEST PROPERTY AND GIVE UP OPTION TO PURCHASE. 1955-56 WHITE DEVELOPMENT CO. ATTEMPT TO OPERATE THE MINE AS A MODERATE-VOLUME OPEN-PIT OPERATION. GLORY HOLE AND A CONNECTING CONVEYOR BELT HAULAGE ADIT DEVELOPED ON MINERAL HILL TO MINE LOW-GRADE ORE BODY CENTERED AROUND BRECCIA PIPE. 1958-AMERICAN EXPLORATION AND MINING CO. (PLACER U.S.) OPTIONS PROPERTY (PREDECESSOR OF GOLDEN SUNLIGHT MINES) FROM A.O. SMITH CORP. 1968-PLACER U.S. PURCHASES PROPERTY 1981-CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES STARTED. FEBRUARY 1983, FIRST GOLD POURED AFTER A $50 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT. MID-1994-1995 7.5 MONTH HIATUS IN PRODUCTION DUE TO RE-ACTIVATED LANDSLIDE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): PRODUCTION 1890 TO 1945 ESTIMATED AT 154,308 TONS, AVERAGING 0.373-OZ GOLD AND 0.51-OZ SILVER PER TON. AN ADDITIONAL 55,503-POUNDS COPPER WAS RECOVERED FROM SHALLOW COPPER-OXIDE ROCKETS (LASMANIS, R., 1972). A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE STATED THAT FROM 1901 TO 1980, A TOTAL OF 253,618 TONS OF ORE WAS PRODUCED; 59,271 OUNCES OF GOLD; 80,061 OUNCES OF SILVER; AND 54,598 POUNDS OF COPPER (MONTANA STANDARD, MARCH 8, 1981). 1989-TOTAL RESERVES INCLUDING THOSE MINED SINCE 1983 STOOD AT 53 MILLION SHORT TONS GRADING 0.05 OGT WITH A 6.5:1 OVERALL STRIP RATIO. FROM 1983 THROUGH DECEMBER 1988, APPROXIMATELY 13,100,000 TONS GRADING 0.05 OGT WERE MINED OF THIS RESERVE, PRODUCING APPROXIMATELY 550,000 OUNCES OF GOLD. 60% OF THE GOLD RESERVES OCCUR IN THE BRECCIA, AND THE REMAINING ORE IN THE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT COUNTRY ROCK. MINERALIZATION IS BOTH DISSEMINATED AND STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED, AND THE TWO STYLES COMMONLY OVERLAP. DISSEMINATED MINERALIZATION OCCURS IN THE SULPHIDIC MATRIX OF THE BRECCIA, AND IN DISSEMINATED SULPHIDES IN THE LATITE PORPHYRY AND PROTEROZOIC ROCKS. STRUCTURALLY-CONTROLLED MINERALIZATION OCCURS ALONG FAULTS AND SULPHIDE-FILLED VEINS AND JOINTS. DISSEMINATED MINERALIZATION COMMONLY CARRIES 0.0X OGT (OUNCES GOLD PER TON) WHEREAS 0.X OGT IS COMMON IN STRUCTURALLY CONTROLLED ZONES. MINERALIZED STRUCTURES CUT ALL ROCK TYPES, INCLUDING BRECCIA. THREE DOMINANT STEEPLY-DIPPING STRUCTURAL TRENDS ARE PRESENT. IN DECREASING FREQUENCY THEY ARE: NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, AND NORTH-NORTHWEST. (FOSTER, 1989). 1995- PUBLISHED RESERVES (INCLUDING THOSE MINED SNCE START UP) TOTAL 70.8 MILLION SHORT TONS GRADING 0.054 OUNCES PER TON GOLD (3,823,000 OUNCES). (FOSTER AND SMITH, 1995). APPROXIMATELY 57,000 OUNCES OF GOLD (154,000 TONS AVERAGING 0.371 OUNCES OF GOLD PER TON) WERE PRODUCED FROM THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT PRIOR TO 1958. (FOSTER AND OTHERS, 1995) 1996- 19,669,000 TONNES WITH 2.4 G/T GRADE CONTAINING 47600.0 KG GOLD OR 1,530,000 OUNCES GOLD (FROM A PLACER DOME INC. ANNUAL REPORT).

Comment (Economic Factors): OPERATING CAPACITY WILL BE UP TO 100% IN LATER YEARS AS SOFTER, EASIER MILLING ORES ARE ENCOUNTERED.

Comment (Economic Factors): 1983-1987 2.8 MT AU/YR X $30,000/MT X 1 YR/52 SHIPMENTS X 1 SHIPMENT/1425 KM = $1.13/MT/KM. 1988-1996 COSTS = $1.30 MT/KM. (3.21 MT BULLION/YR.).

Comment (Economic Factors): FROM 1983 TO 1990, STRIP RATIO WAS ABOUT 2:1. FROM 1990 TO 2003, A CHANGE IN THE MINING PLAN INCLUDES 5 STAGES HAVING AN OVERALL STRIP RATIO OF 7.45:1. THE AMOUNT OF WASTE GIVEN REFLECTS LATTER RATIO. S-UPC INITIALLY WILL BE $1.68/MT ORE IN 1983, BUT WILL RISE TO $2.90/MT ORE BY 1990.

Comment (Geology): MANY FAULTS CUT BOTH THE IGNEOUS AND SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. A PIPELIKE BODY OF SILICA-CEMENTED SHALE OCCURS AT THIS DEPOSIT. THE CORE OF THE MINERALIZED ZONE IS CENTERED AROUND THE BRECCIA PIPE. HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION WITHIN AND SURROUNDING THE BRECCIA PIPE IS EVIDENCED BY SILICIFICATION AND SERICITATION. FREE GOLD IS REPORTED WITH MINOR SILVER. PYRITE IS THE DOMINANT SULFIDE.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): PUBLISHED RESERVES CONTAIN 0.05 OZ AU/T; 0.05 OZ/X GM = 1 GM/0.03215 TR OZ = 1.56 GM. 1989 RESERVE = 2,007,000 OZ. CONT. AU. 1994 RESERVES FROM PERSONAL COMM W/ D.J.WILSON, MINE MGR.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RECOVERABLE IDENTIFIED RESERVES INCUDE A 5% DILUTION RATE. TOTAL GEOLOGIC RESERVES ARE 46,100,000 MT WITH A WEIGHTED AVERAGE GRADE OF 2.05 GM AU/MT. INCLUDED IN THIS CATEGORY ARE 22,700,000 MT OF MATERIAL GRADING 2.40 GM AU/MT. THESE RESERVES WILL REQUIRE UNDERGROUND MINING AND ARE NOT PRESENTLY RECOVERABLE WITHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF GOLD.

References

Reference (Geology): Spry P G, Paredes M M, Foster F, Truckle J S, Chadwick T H 1996 - Evidence for a genetic link between Gold-Silver Telluride and Porphyry Molybdenum mineralization at the Golden Sunlight deposit, Whitehall, Montana: fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies: in Econ. Geol. v91 pp 507-526

Reference (Geology): Porter E W, Ripley E 1985 - Petrologic and stable isotope study of the Gold-bearing breccia pipe at the Golden Sunlight deposit, Montana: in Econ. Geol. v80 pp 1689-1706

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., NEWS RELEASE, 8-9-96.

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., NEWS RELEASE, 6-16-94, 9-7-94.

Reference (Deposit): MINING RECORD, V 106/N 17, 4/26/95, P.1,10.

Reference (Deposit): MINING RECORD, V 106/N 7, 2/15/95, P.1.

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., NEWS RELEASE, 2/7/95, 1PP.

Reference (Deposit): ROUND. BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE. JUNE 29, 1992.

Reference (Deposit): MCMILLION, SCOTT. GOLDEN SUNLIGHT MINE WINS PRELIMINARY

Reference (Deposit): CRITICISM. MONTANA STANDARD. JUNE 4, 1992, P. 2.

Reference (Deposit): CHAPIN, PETER. ENVIRONMENTALISTS ANSWER GOLDEN SUNLIGHT

Reference (Deposit): IMAGE. JUNE 2, 1992.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA STANDARD. DYING BIRDS TARNISH GOLDEN SUNLIGHT

Reference (Deposit): REVIEW, JUNE 1, 1992.

Reference (Deposit): MARCH 31, 1992.

Reference (Deposit): ASSOCIATED PRESS. MINE TRIES MANY TRICKS TO SAVE BIRDS

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA STANDARD. ENVIRONMENTALISTS SUE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT.

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

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., 1995 ANNUAL REPORT.

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., PRESS RELEASE 2-26-96.

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC., 1995 FORM 10-K, 12-31-95, PP. 12, 20.

Reference (Reference): MINE/DEPOSIT FILE REPORT, PLACER AMEX, INC., GOLDEN SUNLIGHT

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC FORM 10K FOR 1989.

Reference (Deposit): PLACER DOME INC ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1989.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PLACER DOME INC., 1996 FORM 10-K, PP. 14, 15, 23, 24.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SWEENEY, 1986, PLACER DOME, 1986.

Reference (Production): PLACER DOME INC., 1996 FORM 4O-F REPORT, P13.

Reference (Reference): SILVER ORES, JUNE 1983, PP. 48-56.

Reference (Reference): E&MJ LEACHING AND PRECIPITATION TECHNOLOGY FOR GOLD AND

Reference (Reference): MBM & G MEM 20, 1940, P. 38.

Reference (Reference): E&MJ MINING ACTIVITY DIGEST V. 9, NO. 8, JAN 15, 1983, P.1.

Reference (Reference): MBM & G MEM 31, 1950, P. 40.

Reference (Reference): MSHA RPT DATED APRIL, 1981.

Reference (Reference): LIGHT MINE AT FULL CAPACITY, JUNE 18, 1983, PP. 4-9.

Reference (Reference): SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW. PLACER AMEX OPERATING GOLDEN SUN-

Reference (Reference): BUMINES RI 7305, OCT., 1969, 16 PP.

Reference (Reference): APPROACH TO RECOVERING GOLD RESOURCES IN JEFFERSON CO., MT,

Reference (Reference): AGETEN, R.W., KREMPASKY, G.T., AND RICE, W.L., A SYSTEMS

Reference (Reference): PLACER DEVELOPMENT, LTD., 1981 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 3.

Reference (Reference): MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, OCT. 1981.

Reference (Reference): AMEX, INC. JEFFERSON CO., MT, 60 PP., NO DATE GIVEN.

Reference (Reference): STATEMENT, PROPOSED PLAN OF MINING AND RECLAMATION, PLACER

Reference (Reference): MONTANA DEPT. OF STATE LANDS, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Reference (Reference): PROPERTY, WHITEHALL, MT, FINAL REPORT, USBM CONTRACT NO.

Reference (Reference): SO221028, DEC. 1982.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PLACER DOME INC., 1995 FORM 10-K, P12.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PLACER DOME INC., NEWS RELEASE, 2/24/95, P.3.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PLACER DOME INC., 1994 ANNUAL REPORT, P16.

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.