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Black Pine Mine

Plant in Granite county in Montana, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Antimony
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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. 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 10245537
MRDS ID D009540
MAS/MILS ID 0300390005
Record type Site
Current site name Black Pine Mine
Alternate or previous names Black Pine Mine and Plant
Related records 60000333

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Main Entrance
Geographic coordinates: -113.36652, 46.44769 (WGS84)
Elevation 1963
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Granite(county)

Montana(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Henderson Mountain(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Philipsburg(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Butte(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Flint-Rock(hydrologic unit)

Pend Oreille(hydrologic accounting unit)

Kootenai-Pend Oreille-Spokane(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Beaverhead-Deerlodge 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 Granite

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Montana Principal 008 N 014 W 16 S2SWNW Montana

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Copper Secondary
Lead Secondary
Zinc Critical Secondary
Antimony Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Huebnerite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Gold Ore
Malachite Ore
Pyromorphite Ore
Scheelite Ore
Silver Ore
Tennantite Ore
Argentite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Limonite Unknown
Pyrargyrite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) OXIDATION

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 85
USGS model code 22c
Deposit model name Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number 46

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock type qualifier QUARTZITE
    Rock unit name MISSOULA GROUP
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Neoproterozoic
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Rock type qualifier RED SHALE
    Rock unit name SPOKANE FORMATION
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -113.36652, 46.44769
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure name PHILIPSBURG BATHOLITH; PHILIPSBURG OVERTHRUST
Type of structure Local
Structure name MARSHAL CREEK SYNCLINE

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR
    Strike N30W
    Dip 25S
    Thickness 1.2M
    Length 1070M
    Width 1070M
    Area 162HA
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N30W:25S
    Total Surface Area (HA) 162
    Date of Last Modification 970331

Controls for ore emplacement

  • NORTHERLY STRIKING SEDIMENTARY HORIZONS

Comments on the geologic information

  • 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
  • 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

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1882
Mining method Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Year of first production 1882
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation

Comments on 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

Mining district

District name Black Pine District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim

Land status

Ownership category Mixed

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
    Interest 100
    Home office New York
    Year 1990
    First year 1990
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Inspiration Resources Corp.
    Interest 100
    Home office New York
    Year 1983
    Last year 1990

Comments on the ownership information

  • INSPIRATION CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO. IS 50 PERCENT CONTROLLED BY HUDSON BAY MINING AND SMELTING CO., LTD., TORONTO, CANADA.

Production statistics

  • Year 1897
    Period 1885-1897
    Description Early Production 1885-1897 62199999 Grams Of Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Silver Silver 6219999g
  • Year 1975
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 49000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1976
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 62000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1977
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 58000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1978
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 70000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1979
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 67000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1980
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 98000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1981
    Description Silver-Copper Ore 98000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
  • Year 1982
    Description Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 215.7 Gm/Mt Ag 183000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Silver Silver 216g/mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 173.1 Gm/Mt Ag 236000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 236000mt 173g/mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Silver-Copper Ore;Grade 182.7 Gm/Mt Ag 251000 Metric Tonnes Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 251000mt 183g/mt
  • Year 1989
    Period 1885-1989
    Material ore
    Ore mined 1339000mt
    Accuracy Accurate
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor ZN Zinc Zinc 12246.99mt
    Minor PB Lead Lead 117934.01mt
    Minor CU Copper Copper 4843459.32mt
    Major AU Gold Gold 93310.44g
    Major AG Silver Silver 174863770.18g
  • Year 1990
    Description Silver Ore 8167 Metric Tons Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 8167mt
  • Year 1991
    Description Silver Ore 0
  • Year 1992
    Description Silver Ore 8032 Metric Tons Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Silver Silver 8032mt
  • Year 1993
    Description Silver Ore 5155 Metric Tons Ore/Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 5155mt

Comments on the production information

  • SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTION SINCE 1958.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1997
    Total resources 1180000mt ore
    Remarks USGS OFR 2004-1038
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver 192 g/mt Silver Primary 1997
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Total resources 1814400mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver Ag 161.7 g/mt Silver Major 1990
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1991
    Demonstrated 1800000mt ore
    Total resources 1800000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver Ag 178.283 g/mt Silver Major 1991
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1996
    Indicated 105500mt ore
    Demonstrated 105500mt ore
    Inferred 1077000mt ore
    Total resources 1182500mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Silver Ag 192 g/mt Silver Major 1996
    Gold Au 1 g/mt Gold Trace 1996

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 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.
  • RESERVES BASED ON PUBLISHED DATA BY INSPIRATION RESOURCES CORP. 1984 FORM 10-K, P 32, PROVEN RESERVES AS OF DEC. 31, 1984. .

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Percent Recovery 65
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING MAY BACK SLAB
    Mine Support Chars. OTHER
    Number of Shafts 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 771
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 20.14
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 260
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982

Comments on the workings information

  • 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

Comments on other economic factors

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

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

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

  • Geology

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

  • Geology

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

  • Geology

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • 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.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

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

  • 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.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, SEPT. 1982, P. 67.

  • Deposit

    MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, MARCH 1980, P. 12.

  • Deposit

    E/MJ, 45 TOP U.S. SILVER MINES, JUNE, 1982, P. 15.

  • Deposit

    MCLAUGHLIN, DAN, OPERATION OF AN OPTICAL ORE-SORTING SYSTEM, MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, P. 26.

  • Deposit

    MONT. BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOL. BULLETIN 129, 1991,

  • Deposit

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

General comments

Subject category Comment text
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.
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

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 02-MAR-98 Buckingham, David A. 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:

  • Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.) — acquired by Asarco LLC, subsidiary of Grupo México (2009)
    American Smelting and Refining Co. Filed Chapter 11 in 2005; acquired out of bankruptcy by Grupo México in 2009.

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.

External references

Maps centered on this site