Mountain View Mine

Past Producer in Stillwater county in Montana, United States with commodities Chromium, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Mineral occurrence model information
  10. Host and associated rocks
  11. Nearby scientific data
  12. Geologic structures
  13. Ore body information
  14. Controls for ore emplacement
  15. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  16. Mining district
  17. Mineral rights holdings
  18. Land status
  19. Ownership information
  20. Production statistics
  21. Reserves and resources
  22. Workings at the site
  23. Links to other databases
  24. Bibliographic references
  25. General comments
  26. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10125004
MRDS ID W026523
MAS/MILS ID 0300950003
Record type Site
Current site name Mountain View Mine
Alternate or previous names Mouat-Sampson, Mouat, Mouat Mine

Comments on the site names

  • OTHER NAME: MOUAT-SAMPSON. PART OF STILLWATER COMPLEX

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -109.90659, 45.38712 (WGS84)
Elevation 2160
Location accuracy 10(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Stillwater(county)

Montana(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Meyer Mountain(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Red Lodge(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Billings(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Stillwater(hydrologic unit)

Upper Yellowstone(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Yellowstone(hydrologic subregion)

Missouri(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Custer Gallatin National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Montana Stillwater

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Montana Principal 005 S 015 E 20 NWSENW Montana

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary
Platinum Critical Secondary
Palladium Critical Secondary
Rhodium Critical Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bronzite Ore
Chromite Ore
Olivine Gangue
Enstatite Unknown
Forsterite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) MINOR SERPENTINIZATION OF HARZBURGITE

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 1
USGS model code 1
Deposit model name Stillwater Ni-Cu

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Ultramafic Intrusive Rock > Peridotite > Harzburgite
    Rock type qualifier HARZBURGITE
    Rock unit name METASEDIMENTARY ROCKS
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoarchean
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Rock type qualifier QUARTZ MONZONITE
    Rock unit name STILLWATER COMPLEX, ULTRAMAFIC SERIES
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoarchean

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -109.90659, 45.38712

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure name BEARTOOTH UPLIFT
Type of structure Local
Structure name LAKE FAULT (N72W, DIP 60SW), CLIFF FAULT (N75W, DIP 70SW)

Ore body information

  • General form MASSIVE BAND, DISSEMINATED
    Strike N35E
    Dip 60W
    Thickness 4M
    Length 914M
    Width 503M
    Area 300HA
    Depth to top 0M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 OTHER
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Shape of Orebody #2 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin MAGMATIC DIFFER
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 OTHER
    Strike And Dip N35E:60W
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 300
    Date of Last Modification 830316

Controls for ore emplacement

  • CRYSTAL SETTLING IN LARGE MAGMA CHAMBER

Comments on the geologic information

  • CR:FE RATIO APPROX 1.7:1 ANALYSIS OF THE MOUAT MINERAL CHROMITE IS: 44.3 PERCENT CHROMIC OXIDE 17.6 PERCENT IRON 20.6 PERCENT ALUMINA 12.8 PERCENT MAGNESIA 0.7 PERCENT SILICA 0.7 PERCENT CALCIUM OXIDE
  • THE STILLWATER COMPLEX IS EXPOSED ALONG THE NORTHERN MARGIN OF THE BEARTOOTH UPLIFT, ONE OF SEVERAL LARAMIDE BASEMENT-CORED RANGES THAT MAKE UP THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FORELAND OF SOUTH-CENTRAL MONTANA (FOOSE AND OTHERS, 1961: KULIK AND SCHMIDT, 1988) ; REG.TRENDS: STRIKE OF ULTRAMAFIC ZONE: N 60 DEG.W -N 80 DEG. W
  • THE LARGEST POTENTIAL RESOURCES OF CHROMIUM AND PGE IN THE U.S. OCCUR IN THE STILLWATER COMPLEX. AGE OF STILLWATER COMPLEX IS 2,705 +/- 4 MA BASED ON U-PB SYSTEMATICS ON ZIRCON-BADDELEYITE (PREMO AND OTHERS, 1990) ; GEOL.DESC: AGE OF HOST ROCKS: PRE-CAMBRIAN; MAJOR.UNITS: STILLWATER COMPLEX
  • TECTONIC SETTING AT TIME OF EMPLACEMENT OF THE STILLWATER COMPLEX IS UNKNOWN. THE COMPLEX WAS EMPLACED SHORTLY AFTER A MAJOR REGIONAL, SUBDUCTION-RELATED MAGMATIC EVENT THAT CULMINATED IN EMPLACEMENT OF THE 2.73-2.79 GA GRANITOID SUITE IN THE BATHOLITH EXPOSED IN THE BEARTOOTH UPLIFT (WOODEN AND OTHERS, 1991). HOWEVER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE MAGMATISM THAT FORMED THE STILLWATER COMPLEX IS RELATED TO CONVERGENT MARGIN TECTONICS AND MAGMATISM

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1886
Year of first production 1943
Milling method Gravity

Mining district

District name Stillwater

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category National Forest

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Chrome Corp. Of America
    Interest 100
    Home office Colorado
    Year 1993
  • Type Operator
    Owner Boulder Gold N. L.
    Home office Colorado
    Year 1993

Production statistics

  • Year 1962
    Period 1943-1962
    Material ore
    Ore mined 1906000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major CR Chromium Chromium 349266124.9mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1998
    Total resources 17500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium 23 wt-pct Chromium Major 1998
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Measured 785000mt ore
    Demonstrated 785000mt ore
    Total resources 785000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 22.5 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Indicated 2719000mt ore
    Demonstrated 2719000mt ore
    Total resources 2719000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 22.9 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Inferred 488000mt ore
    Total resources 488000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 20 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Measured 503000mt ore
    Demonstrated 503000mt ore
    Total resources 503000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 23.3 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Indicated 2271000mt ore
    Demonstrated 2271000mt ore
    Total resources 2271000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 23.4 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Inferred 109000mt ore
    Total resources 109000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 20 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Measured 282000mt ore
    Demonstrated 282000mt ore
    Total resources 282000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 21.1 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Indicated 502000mt ore
    Demonstrated 502000mt ore
    Total resources 502000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 20.5 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1960
    Inferred 379000mt ore
    Total resources 379000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Chromium Cr2O3 20 wt-pct Chromium Major 1960

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • GRADE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF MINE DILUTION CR:FE RATIO APPROX 1.7:1
  • DEPOSIT REPORT. UPDATED IN 1987/88 --COSTING INCLUDED FECR SMELTER CONSTRUCTION IN COLUMBUS, MONT. 1993 RESERVES FROM RANDOL 1993/94.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 10000M
    Overall depth 300M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OVERHAND SHRINKAGE 10-67
    Swell Factor .3
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Number of Shafts 1
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 1000
    Number of Adits 5
    1st Condition of Workings PART ACCESSIBLE
    Capacity 1988
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 25.01
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 321
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1988
  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 10000M
    Overall depth 300M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 2
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OVERHAND SHRINKAGE 10-67
    Swell Factor .3
    Percent Waste Rock 0
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Number of Shafts 1
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 1000
    Number of Adits 5
    1st Condition of Workings PART ACCESSIBLE
    Capacity 1988
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 25.75
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 312
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1988

Comments on the workings information

  • UNDERGROUND MINING IS EXPECTED TO RESULTS IN MINIMAL SURFACE DISTURBANCE. SURFACE FACILITIES WOULD LIKELY BE RESTRICTED TO PREVIOUS MINE SITES, ROADS, ETC. MINE ROAD DISTANCE IS 8KM. WATER SUPPLY DISTANCE IS 5KM. ELECTRICAL SUPPLY SOURCE IS 21KM.

Comments on other economic factors

  • DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION HISTORY OF MOUAT MINE AS REPORTED BY THE AMERICAN CHROME COMPANY (OPERATOR FROM 1953 TO 1961): 1941-1943 DEVELOPMENT- UNDERGROUND, 11783 METERS PRODUCTION - MINED, 166200 TONNES AT 21.64 PERCENT CR2O3 MILLED, 70,485 TONNES AT 19.26 PERCENT CR2O3 CONCENTRATES, 26,796 TONNES AT 38.81 PERCENT CR2O3 1953-1961 DEVELOPMENT- UNDERGROUND, 18,382 METERS PRODUCTION - CONCENTRATES, 860,000 TONNES AT 38.57 PERCENT CR2O3

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    JACKSON, E.D., A.L. HOWLAND, J.W. PEOPLES, AND W.R. JONES.

  • Geology

    GEOLOGICAL MAPS AND SECTIONS OF THE EASTERN PART OF

  • Geology

    THE STILLWATER COMPLEX IN STILLWATER COUNTY, MONTANA. U.S.

  • Geology

    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE RPT., 1954, 3 MAPS, 14 SECTIONS.

  • Geology

    JONES, W.R., J.W. PEOPLES, AND A.L. HOWLAND. IGNEOUS AND

  • Geology

    TECTONIC STRUCTURE OF THE STILLWATER COMPLEX, MONTANA.

  • Geology

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 1071-H, 1960, PP. 281-340.

  • Production

    BOERICKE, F.S. AND W.M. BANGERT. EFFECT OF VARIABLES IN

  • Production

    CHEMICAL BENEFICIATION OF CHROMITE ORES. U.S. BUR OF MINES

  • Production

    R.I. 3817, 1945, 26 PP.

  • Production

    HUNTER, WILLARD L. AND LLOYD H. BANNING. PYROMETALLURGICAL

  • Production

    BENEFICIATION OF OFF-GRADE CHROMITE AND PRODUCTION OF FER-

  • Production

    ROCHROMIUM. U.S. BUR OF MINES R.I. 6010, 1962, 16 PP.

  • Production

    SULLIVAN, F.V. AND W.A. STICKNEY. FLOTATION OF PACIFIC

  • Production

    NORTHWEST CHROMITE ORES. U.S. BUR OF MINES R.I. 5646, 1969

  • Production

    14 PP.

  • Production

    SULLIVAN, F.V. AND G.F. WORKENTINE. BENEFICIATING LOW-

  • Production

    GRADE CHROMITES FROM THE STILLWATER COMPLEX, MONTANA. U.S.

  • Production

    BUR OF MINES R.I. 6448, 1964, 29 PP.

  • Geology

    JACKSON, E.D. PRIMARY TEXTURES AND MINERAL ASSOCIATIONS IN

  • Geology

    THE ULTRAMAFIC ZONE OF THE STILLWATER COMPLEX, MONTANA.

  • Geology

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 358, 1961, 106 PP.

  • Geology

    JACKSON, E.D. STRATIGRAPHIC AND LATERAL VARIATION OF CHRO-

  • Geology

    MITE COMPOSITION IN THE STILLWATER COMPLEX. MIN. SOC.

  • Geology

    AMER. SPEC. PAPER 1, 1963, PP. 46-54.

  • Reserve-Resource

    PAGE, N.J., AND J.C. DOHRENWEND. MINERAL RESOURCE POTEN-

  • Reserve-Resource

    TIAL OF THE STILLWATER COMPLEX AND ADJACENT ROCKS IN THE

  • Reserve-Resource

    NORTHERN PART OF THE MT. WOOD AND MT. DOUGLAS QUADRANGLES,

  • Reserve-Resource

    SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA. U.A. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRC. 684, 1973,

  • Reserve-Resource

    9 PP.

  • Reserve-Resource

    PRICE, P.M. MINING METHODS AND COSTS, MOUAT MINE, AMERICAN

  • Reserve-Resource

    CHROME COMPANY, STILLWATER COUNTY, MONTANA. U.S. BUR OF

  • Reserve-Resource

    MINES I.C. 8204, 1963, 58 PP.

  • Deposit

    ANONYMOUS. CHROMIUM MATERIALS SURVEY. U.S. DEPT. COMMERCE,

  • Deposit

    1962, 96 PP.

  • Deposit

    HESS, H.H. STILLWATER IGNEOUS COMPLEX, MONTANA. GEOL. SOC.

  • Deposit

    AMER. MEM. 80, 1960, 230 PP.

  • Deposit

    JACKSON, E.D. THE CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE STILLWATER COM-

  • Deposit

    PLEX, MONTANA. IN ORE DEPOSITS IN THE U.S., 1933-1967,

  • Deposit

    (GRATON SALES), V. 2. NEW YORK, AIME, 1968, PP. 1495-1510.

  • Deposit

    PEOPLES, J.W., AND A.L. HOWLAND. CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE

  • Deposit

    EASTERN PART OF THE STILLWATER COMPLEX, STILLWATER COUNTY,

  • Deposit

    MONTANA. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 922-N, 1940, PP. 371-416.

  • Deposit

    PEOPLES, J.W., A.L. HOWLAND, W.R. JONES, AND D. FLINT.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGIC MAP, SECTIONS, AND UNDERGROUND WORKINGS OF THE

  • Deposit

    MOUNTAIN VIEW LAKE AREA, STILLWATER COUNTY, MONTANA,

  • Deposit

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE RPT., 1954, 2 MAPS, 8 SECTIONS

  • Deposit

    SCHAFER, P.A. CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF MONTANA. MONTANA BUR. OF

  • Deposit

    MINES AND GEOL. MEM. 18, 1937, 35 PP.

  • Deposit

    WIMMLER, N.L. INVESTIGATION OF CHROMITE DEPOSITS OF THE

  • Deposit

    STILLWATER COMPLEX, STILLWATER AND SWEETGRASS COUNTIES,

  • Deposit

    MONTANA. U.S. BUR. OF MINES R.I. 4368, 1948, 41 PP.

  • Deposit

    MCHUGH, 1994, MLA REPORT IN PREPARATION.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ORE BODY TYPE IS ORIGINAL ROCK FORMER (A MAGMATIC DIFFERENTIATE). THE MOUAT MINE CONSISTS OF TWO PARALLEL ORE BODIES OR ZONES, THE G & THE H. THESE ZONES OR LAYERS ARE MINED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE G LAYER AVERAGES 2.7M. (9FT) THICK AND THE H LAYER 1.7M (5.5FT) THICK. TYPE OF WALL ROCK ALTERATION IS SERPENTINIZATION.
Deposit MAJOR ORE DEPOSITS IN "G" AND "H" CHROMITITE ZONES OF PERIDOTITE MEMBER OF STILLWATER COMPLEX . "G" BAND AVERAGES 16 FT THICK, 21.5% CR2O3; "H" AVERAGES 5.8 FT THICK, 22.1% CR2O3. DEPOSIT IS CUT BY LAKE AND CLIFF FAULTS

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 21-FEB-95 Spear, James M. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.