The data below represent everything available in the MBMG Abandoned and Inactive Mines (AIM) database.

Sites Table
AIM Id Name Alternate Name District County
BE000197 FRENCH & WATSON GULCHES PLACER RATTLESNAKE DRAINAGE ARGENTA BEAVERHEAD
MRDS AMLI MILS Latitude Longitude Datum
DC08229 300010261 45.35 -112.9014
Township Range Section QSection UTM Northing UTM Easting UTM Zone UTM Datum
06S 11W 36 DCDA 5021497 350725 12
Average Elevation Elev Units Land Owner 250K Quad 100K Quad 24K Quad
7340 F DILLON DILLON ERMONT
Property Type Update Date Who Updated
PLACER 4/6/1995 JEW
Commodities Table
Commodities Identified
GOLD
Agency Info Table
Information
Agency: NF
Region District: R1
Ranger District: DILLON
Forest Service Tract:
Watershed Code: 10020002
Forest or Resource Area: BEAVERHEAD
Owner: M
Impact:
Report: Dingman mentions this creek in the Argenta (Montana) paragraph " Gold was recovered from the stream gravels in Rattlesnake, French, and Watson creeks." Summary from Lyden (1948): southwestward flowing tributaries of Rattlesnake Creek. Mined almost entirely by sluicing. Most profitable year, 1941, when two mine operations produced a total of 9 ounces of gold.
Screening Criteria Table
Information
Mill Tailings: N
Adit Discharge: N
Metal Leaching: N
Water Erosion: N
Residence: N
Hazardous Materials: N
Open Adit: N
Visit: N
Comments: MBMG GEOLOGIST: JACK WATSON (PRESCREENED SITE-GENERAL RECONN. OF AREA)
Mining Methods Table
Years Dredge dry land Dredge float Ground sluicing Boom dam Drifting Hydraulic Pan rocker Long Tom Mercury
1941 Y
Placer Table
Information
Gold: Y
Silver: Y
Titanium:
Rare Earth Elements:
Sapphire:
Garnet:
Tungsten:
Platinum:
Magnetite:
Hematite:
Pyrite:
Commodity Ref: Lyden, C.J., 1948, The Gold Placers of Montana, MBMG Memoir 26, 152 p.
Geologic Source: Lode deposits
Geologic Source Ref: Geach, R.D., 1972, Mines and mineral deposits (except fuels) Beaverhead County, Montana, MBMG Bulletin 85, 194 p.
Lag:
Transported:
Type Comments: Quartz lodes of the Schafer group, which produce free-milling gold (Geach). The largest nugget in Beaverhead County (40 ounces) was found in Watson Gulch IN 1894.
Type Ref: Lyden, C.J., 1948, The Gold Placers of Montana, MBMG Memoir 26, 152 p.
Unknown:
Fine:
Coarse: Y
Comments: 40 oz. nugget in Watson Gulch
Size Ref:
Finess:
Fineref:
Spoil pile:
Wash pile:
Wash over:
Wash under:
Waste Ref:
Year Discovered: 1870/1890
Rank Table
Information
Investigator: J. WATSON
Date:
Photos Available?:
Access:
Nearest Wetlands/Bog:
Drainage Basin: FRENCH CREEK
Water Contact Stream:
Nearest Surface Water Intake:
Number of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream:
Uses of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream:
Nearest Wells (miles):
Number of Wells within 4 miles:
Uses of Wells within 4 miles:
Nearest Dwelling (miles):
Number of Months Occupied:
Number of Houses within 2 miles:
Recreational Usage on Site:
Nearest Recreational Area (miles):
Name or Type of Recreational Area:
Safety Risk from Open Adit/Shaft:
Safety Risk from Highwall or Unstable Slopes:
Safety Risk from Unstable Structures:
Safety Risk from Chemicals:
Safety Risk from Solid Waste (includes sharp rusted items):
Safety Risk from Explosives:
Sensitive Environments within 2 miles of Site or 15 miles Downstream:
Population within 0-0.25 miles:
Population within 0.25-0.5 miles:
Population within 0.5-1 miles:
Population within 1-2 miles:
Population within 2-3 miles:
Population within 3-4 miles:
Public Interest:

End of report. Retrieved 4/27/2024 3:56:36 PM.

The preceding materials represent the contents of the databases at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology at the time and date of the retrieval. The information is considered unpublished and is subject to correction and review on a daily basis. The Bureau warrants the accurate transmission of the data to the original end user at the time and date of the retrieval. Retransmission of the data to other users is discouraged and the Bureau claims no responsibility if the material is retransmitted. There may be data in the request area that are not recorded at the Bureau.