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Big Ben Deposits

Prospect in Cascade county in Montana, United States with commodity Molybdenum
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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. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10172739
MRDS ID W026530
MAS/MILS ID 0300130039
Record type Site
Current site name Big Ben Deposits
Alternate or previous names Big Ben Deposit
Related records 10096465

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -110.71274, 46.96411 (WGS84)
Elevation 1918
Location accuracy 10(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Cascade(county)

Montana(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Neihart(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

White Sulphur Springs(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

White Sulphur Springs(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Belt(hydrologic unit)

Upper Missouri(hydrologic accounting unit)

Missouri-Marias(hydrologic subregion)

Missouri(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Helena-Lewis and Clark 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 Cascade

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Montana Principal 014 N 008 E 21 N2 Montana

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Molybdenum Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Fluorite Unknown
Galena Unknown
Molybdenite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sphalerite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -110.71274, 46.96411
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N65E
    Dip 50S
    Thickness 195M
    Length 1200M
    Width 170M
    Depth to top 9M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 2
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 POTASSIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 SILICIFICATION
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 PROPYLITIC
    Strike And Dip N65E:50S
    Minimum Depth to Top 1
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 1
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 820407
  • Length 450M
    Width 150M
    Depth to top 9M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 3
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 POTASSIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 SILICIFICATION
    Minimum Depth to Top 1
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 1
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 820407
  • Area 392HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 392
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Comments on the geologic information

  • ORE MAY REQUIRE EXCESSIVE GRINDING TO LIBERATE MOLYBDENITE FROM LEAD WHEN LEAD WOULD EXCEED 0.1 PERCENT

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1922
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Neihart Mining District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim
Type of mineral rights Patented

Land status

Ownership category Mixed

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Amax Inc.
    Interest 100
    Home office Colorado
    Year 1982

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • M2C1 IS USED AS THE MINE PLANT RESOURCE BECAUSE I FEEL THE EIGHTEEN PERCENT REDUCTION IN GRADE FROM THE M2C2+M2C3 RESOURCE WOULD BE OFFSET BY THE ECONOMY OF SCALE REDUCTION IN OPERATING COSTS THROUGH INCREASING THE RESOURCE 156 PERCENT. MINEABLE RESERVES HAVE NOT BEEN CLACULATED BY AMAX. IN THIS EVALUATION MINEABLE RESERVES ARE THE SAME AS GEOLOGY RESERVES. M1C1=M2C1+M3C1, M2C1=M2C2+M2C3+M2C4
  • BIBLIOGRAPHY INCL. U.S. BUREAU OF MINES IC7589, RI4460; USGS BULL.1182-E.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 104HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Waste Rock 71.9
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 9
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 10
    Secondary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 90
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 14
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 40
    Capacity 15286
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 5760
    Unit Production Cost 5.34
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982

Comments on the workings information

  • MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WOULD BE FINDING SITES FOR TAILINGS AND WASTE ROCK SUITABLE TO ENSURE STABILITY AND PRESERVE WATER QUALITY. THE IMPACT THAT SEVERAL HUNDRED CONSTRUCTION AND MINE WORKERS WOULD HAVE ON THE SMALL TOWNS OF NEIHART AND MONARCH WOULD ALSO BE A MAJOR CONCERN.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    BENJAMIN, D., 1982, THOMPSON CREEK MOLYBDENUM MINE: U.S.

  • Deposit

    BUREAU OF MINES, MINERALS AVAILABILITY DEPOSIT

  • Deposit

    REPORT, UNPUBLISHED.

  • Deposit

    CREASEY, S. C., AND SCHOLZ, E. A., 1944, BIG BEN MOLYBDENUM

  • Deposit

    DEPOSIT, NEIHART MINING DISTRICT, CASCADE COUNTY, MONTANA:

  • Deposit

    U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, STRATEGIC MINERALS INVESTIGATIONS

  • Deposit

    PRELIMINARY REPORT.

  • Deposit

    HERDLICK, J. A., 1949, INVESTIGATION OF THE BIG BEN

  • Deposit

    MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT, NEIHART DISTRICT, CASCADE COUNTY,

  • Deposit

    MONTANA: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS

  • Deposit

    4406.

  • Deposit

    JAYNE, D. I., 1980, GLACIER PEAK DEPOSIT: U.S. BUREAU OF

  • Deposit

    MINES, MINERALS AVAILABILITY DEPOSIT EVALUATION REPORT,

  • Deposit

    UNPUBLISHED.

  • Deposit

    JAYNE, D. E., 1980, MOUNT TOLMAN (MO-CU) DEPOSIT, FERRY

  • Deposit

    COUNTY, WASHINGTON, U.S. BUREAU OF MINES MINERALS

  • Deposit

    AVAILABILITY DEPOSIT EVALUATION REPORT, UNPUBLISHED.

  • Deposit

    KEEFER, W. R., 1972, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE WEST HALF OF THE

  • Deposit

    NEIHART 15-MINUTE QUADRANGLE, CENTRAL MONTANA: U.S.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS MAP I-726.

  • Deposit

    KIRKEMO, H. H., ANDERSON, C. A., AND CREASEY, E. A., 1965,

  • Deposit

    INVESTIGATIONS OF MOLYBDENUM DEPOSITS IN THE CONTERMINOUS

  • Deposit

    UNITED STATES 1942-1960: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, BULLETIN

  • Deposit

    1182-E.

  • Deposit

    LINDSEY, D., HALL MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES,

  • Deposit

    MINERALS AVAILABILITY DEPOSIT EVALUATION REPORT,

  • Deposit

    OLMORE, S. D., 1979, GEOLOGY OF THE BIG BEN MOLYBDENUM

  • Deposit

    DEPOSIT NEAR NEIHART, MONTANA: PRESENTATION TO THE

  • Deposit

    NORTHWEST MINING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION.

  • Deposit

    STRAAM ENGINEERS, INC., 1979, CAPITAL AND COST ESTIMATING

  • Deposit

    SYSTEM HANDBOOK: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, CONTRACT NO.

  • Deposit

    J0255026, P. 374.

  • Deposit

    WEED, W. H., 1900, GEOLOGY OF THE LITTLE BELT MOUNTAINS,

  • Deposit

    MONTANA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 20TH ANNUAL REPORT, PT.

  • Deposit

    3 PP. 257-461.

  • Deposit

    WETZEL, N., 1979, MANGANESE RESOURCES OF THE BUTTE DISTRICT,

  • Deposit

    MONTANA: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, MINERALS AVAILABILITY

  • Deposit

    DEPOSIT EVALUATION REPORT, UNPUBLISHED.

  • Deposit

    LEARY, PAT, 1982, ENGINEER FOR MONTANA POWER COMPANY,

  • Deposit

    PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS.

  • Deposit

    RANTA, D., 1981, MANAGER OF GEOLOGIC PROJECTS AMAX INC.,

  • Deposit

    PERSONAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AMAX HAS OUTLINED LARGE MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT BUT AWAITS IMPROVED MOLYBDENUM PRICES TO PROCEED WITH PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY AND ENGINEERING STUDIES. THE GEOMETRY OF THE DEPOSIT IS ONLY AN APPROXIMATION BASED ON LIMITED INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM AMAX.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-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.

Operator history (post-MRDS)

MRDS records operators as of each record's last update (≤ 2019). Some of the operators listed here have since changed hands or dissolved:

  • Amax Inc. — now part of Subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan (2007)
    Merged with Cyprus Minerals to form Cyprus Amax in 1993; Cyprus Amax → Phelps Dodge (1999) → Freeport-McMoRan (2007).

Curated by qvyshift.com from publicly-reported M&A activity (SEC filings, press releases, USGS Mineral Yearbooks). Not authoritative — verify against primary sources before relying on it. The MSHA panel above is the current authoritative source for actively-permitted mines.

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