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

Sites Table
AIM Id Name Alternate Name District County
DL004924 FRENCH CREEK / FRENCH GULCH 1ST CHANCE / FIRST CHANCE FRENCH GULCH DEER LODGE
MRDS AMLI MILS Latitude Longitude Datum
W016849 12-028 300230074 45.9572 -113.0194
Township Range Section QSection UTM Northing UTM Easting UTM Zone UTM Datum
02N 11W 6 BACB 5091059 343505 12
Average Elevation Elev Units Land Owner 250K Quad 100K Quad 24K Quad
6240 F DILLON WISDOM LINCOLN GULCH
Property Type Update Date Who Updated
PLACER PAH
Commodities Table
Commodities Identified
GOLD
Agency Info Table
Information
Agency: NF
Region District: R1
Ranger District: WISE RIVER
Forest Service Tract:
Watershed Code: 10020004
Forest or Resource Area: BEAVERHEAD
Owner: S
Impact:
Report: Lyden (1948) reported $1,000,000 in gold from 1864 (discovery) to 1869 up to almost $5,000,000 estimated in the same 4 years. McCulloch and others (2010) estimated $5M to $9M in gold between 1864 (discovery date) and 1925. In 1940, $945 in gold was recovered. Dredged in 1900 by the "Mildred" and operated in 1901 and 1902. Other locations on the creek were washed by bedrock flumes. Includes tributaries of California Creek and Oregon Creek. Source possibly from German Gulch on the east side of the divide.
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: Y
Comments: MOUNT HAGGIN WILDLIFE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA; PLACER.
Mining Methods Table
Years Dredge dry land Dredge float Ground sluicing Boom dam Drifting Hydraulic Pan rocker Long Tom Mercury
1865-1880 Y
1898-1940 Y
Placer Table
Information
Gold: Y
Silver:
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:
Geologic Source Ref: McCulloch, Robin, McDonald, Katie, and Antonioli, Ted, 2010, French Gulch placers and Anaconda Hot Springs, Deer Lodge County, Montana, Northwest Geology, vol. 39, August 2010, p. 49-56
Lag:
Transported: Y
Type Comments: Stream and lesser bench placer
Type Ref: Lyden, C.J., 1948, The Gold Placers of Montana, MBMG Memoir 26, 152 p.
Unknown:
Fine: Y
Coarse:
Comments: Finer than 10 mesh
Size Ref: McCulloch, Robin, McDonald, Katie, and Antonioli, Ted, 2010, French Gulch placers and Anaconda Hot Springs, Deer Lodge County, Montana, Northwest Geology, vol. 39, August 2010, p. 49-56
Finess:
Fineref:
Spoil pile:
Wash pile:
Wash over:
Wash under:
Waste Ref:
Year Discovered: 1865
Rank Table
Information
Investigator: P. HARGRAVE
Date: 10/17/1996
Photos Available?:
Access:
Nearest Wetlands/Bog:
Drainage Basin:
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 5/5/2024 3:07:58 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.