Abandoned and Inactive Mines
The data below represent everything available in the MBMG Abandoned and Inactive Mines (AIM) database.
| AIM Id | Name | Alternate Name | District | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JF005026 | BULLION | BASIN | JEFFERSON |
| MRDS | AMLI | MILS | Latitude | Longitude | Datum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22-008 | 300430168 | 46.3544 | -112.2922 |
| Township | Range | Section | QSection | UTM Northing | UTM Easting | UTM Zone | UTM Datum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07N | 06W | 13 | DCDB |
| Average Elevation | Elev Units | Land Owner | 250K Quad | 100K Quad | 24K Quad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7600 | F | BUTTE | BUTTE NORTH | BASIN |
| Property Type | Update Date | Who Updated |
|---|---|---|
| LODE | 3/26/1995 | JDL |
| Commodities Identified |
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GOLD LEAD SILVER ZINC |
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Agency: NF Region District: R1 Ranger District: BUTTE Forest Service Tract: Watershed Code: 10020006 Forest or Resource Area: DEERLODGE Owner: M Impact: V Report: TWO MILLS ASSOC W/ BULLION; ONE HERE, OTHER IS LOWER BULLION MILL Bullion The largest and most productive abandoned/inactive mine in the Basin Creek Drainage has been the Bullion. It was worked periodically from 1897 to 1955, with some surface mining done in 1963 (MBMG files, unpublished information). According to Ruppel (1963), a gravity concentrator and smelter were constructed over a mile from the mine in 1902 (referred to as the Lower Bullion Mill and Smelter in this paper). In 1929, a flotation mill (the Upper Bullion Mill) was built just below the lower adit. The mine consisted of 3 levels, connected by stopes and inclines, with about 4500 feet of total workings. A quartz-pyrite-tetrahedrite-galena-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-arsenopyrite-siderite vein trends N70W 50-70NE in quartz monzonite and is from .2 to 40 feet wide. There is some evidence for vertical zoning. Ore from the lower level contained abundant siderite, and averaged 0.05 oz/ton Au, 3-5 oz/ton Ag, 0.1% Cu, 2-5% Pb, and 3-4% Zn. That of the middle level averaged 0.2 oz/ton Au, 9.5 oz/ton Ag, 1-1.5% Cu, and included very little Pb, Zn, or siderite. Approximate total production was 30,000 tons of ore containing 3,500 oz Au, 250,000 oz Ag, 300 tons Cu, 1,000 tons Pb, and 1,000 tons Zn. Uraninite mineralization is associated with late hydrothermal chalcedony (Thurlow and Reyner, 1952), and gamma radiation on dumps and tailings is abnormally high. At the lower Bullion Mill and Smelter, uranium must have been concentrated in the slag, which has radiation values from 5-10 times background. All mine workings are on private ground and are presently caved. The lower adit has a substantial AMD. The discharge joins Bullion Creek and runs past two streamside tailings piles on national forest land just below the mine. These tailings total approximately 4,800 tons and both contain about (RJBU-3) -- 0.03 oz/ton Au, 1 oz/ton Ag, and less than one-half percent base metals (see map). Tailings from the lower Bullion Mill are on private ground and are bisected by Jack Creek. Bullion Creek Adit A caved adit one-half mile northwest of the Bullion mine discharges water. The workings are probably only about 100 feet long, and appear to drift along a N85W vein. Approximately 200 tons of dump material is present (RJBC-1) and contains .010 ox/ton gold, 1.28 oz/ton silver, .066% copper, 1.08% lead, and .11% zinc. .....water quality..... Deerlodge National Forest is the owner. Bullion Tailings Adit Just above the main Upper Bullion Mill tailings pile is another "unknown" adit with a discharge. Workings probably total about 250 feet with an estimated 500 tons of dump material present. Half of this dump material is unaltered quartz monzonite, the other half is quartz monzonite with quartz, sericite, and pyrite alteration products. A composite sample (RJBU-4) of the mineralized portion ran only 0.01 Au, 0.08 Ag, 0.012% Cu, 0.047% Pb, 0.050% Zn. Naturally, the water drains to the sulfide side of the dump. Presumably this adit crosscut to a vein which is the western extension of the Bullion vein. See the Bullion area map. Like the tailings below it, this mine is on national forest land. Smelter Creek Adit Just east of the Lower Bullion Smelter are two short caved adits, one with a discharge and one with a streamside dump. The streamside dump contains about 100 tons of mostly unaltered quartz monzonite with low metal values. The dump associated with the discharge has somewhat higher values, but they are still low (RJBD-1 - 0.006 oz/ton gold, .24 oz/ton silver, .005% copper, .006% lead, and .022% zinc). .......water quality.... Total length of these workings is probably only about 150 feet. Both adits trend southeast; they may be chasing the far western end of the Bullion mineralization. All workings are on national forest lands. SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS PLAN BULLION MINE, JEFFERSON CO. The Bullion Mine site, located on Jack Creek, had been extensively mined for several decades. At least two mills and one smelter are associated with the main mine. The mine site proper is situated on private patented land; however, acid mine discharge, waste rock, tailings, and impacted soils are found on USFS land. All sampling points are located within the USFS boundary and, with one exception, are down-gradient of the mine site. For the purposes of sampling organization, the Bullion site will be sampled in three stages as described below. The first stage of sampling will concentrate on the area adjacent to the disturbed area. This is referred to as the Bullion Tailings on the accompanying map. Surface water sites include three on the larger unnamed creek flowing near the site: BBUS40L: Located upstream of confluence of stream with acid mine drainage. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. BBUS50H: Located on largest of several acid mine seeps above confluence with un-named creek. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals. Streamflow will be measured by means of a dam-pipe-bucket and stopwatch. Streamflow for all measurable seeps in the vicinity will also be measured. BBUS60M: Located on the unnamed creek below the confluence of the creek with the acid mine seeps and below the lowermost tailings impoundment. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. Solids sampling will consist of two samples collected near the mine site: BBUD10H: A composited sampled will be collected on 5-foot centers at a 0 to 6-inch depth between the location stakes. This is an area where soil and waste material are being washed into the creek. Analysis will be for Total Metals. BBUD20H: Located at the base of a tailings pile in the upper impoundment area where soil and waste material are being washed into the creek. Analysis will be for Total Metals. The second group of samples are located near the confluence of the larger unnamed creek and Jack Creek: BBUS10M: Located on the unnamed creek emanating from the Bullion Mine site. This sampling location was chosen so that to minimize influence from the ground-water associated with Jack Creek. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. BBUS20L: Located on Jack Creek above the confluence with the unnamed creek emanating from the mine site. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. BBUS30M: Located downstream of the confluence of the two streams immediately upstream from the USFS-patented claim boundary on Jack Creek. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. The third set of samples are near two unnamed adits and a mill/smelter are located in a second, small un-named drainage adjacent to the main road to the Bullion Mine site. The smelter/mill is located in the lower part of the drainage. A surface water grab sample will be collected downstream of this site: BBUSA0M: Located downstream from the smelter dumps and above the beaver ponds. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. The unnamed site designated as "unnamed adit #1" is located upstream approximately 100 yards and is situated on both sides of the road. Three surface water grab samples and one soil sample will be collected: BBUS70M: Located immediately downstream of the caved adit. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals. Streamflow will be measured by means of a dam-pipe-bucket and stopwatch. BBUS80L: Located on small creek across the road from the adit, upstream of the breached impoundment dam. Analysis will be for Dissolved Metals and Total Recoverable Metals. Stream discharge will be measured by means of a flow meter. BBUS90M: Located downstream of the site on the small creek. The sample location is below the confluence of the creek with a ground-water discharge area (swamp). This location will also serve as the upstream sample for the mill/smelter site. A single soil sampled will be collected at a point below the dumps in an area where material may have been washed. This site is near the surface water sample site BBUS90M. Given the size of the development area and the number of samples to be collected, QA/QC sampling will also be required. One duplicate of each matrix, rinseate blanks for the water and soil sampling equipment, and a trip blank for both matrices will be included as follows: BBUSB0L: Surface water duplicate collected at BBUS30M. BBUSC0L: Rinseate blank collected between BBUS50H and BBUS60M. BBUSD0L: Surface water trip blank prepared prior to going into field. BBUD30L: Solids duplicate taken at BBUD10H. BBUD40L: Rinseate blank taken after collecting BBDUD20H. BBUD50L: Solids trip blank prepared prior to going into field. |
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Sample Id: RJBC-1 Material Type: WA Sample Method: COMP Comments: MINERALIZED PORTION WASTE DUMP ASSOC.W/SMALL ADIT |
| Type Of Contamination | Estimated Quantity | Cond Container | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO01 | NONE | NONE OBSERVED ON NFS LAND |
| Type | Condition | Ground Water | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers | Ownership | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A01 | COLP | FLOW | Y | PRV | FLOWS ONTO NFS LAND | |
| A02 | COLP | NO | Y | NF | POSSIBLE SEASONAL FLOW ONTO NFS | |
| A03 | COLP | FLOW | Y | NF | LOWER BULLION ADIT |
| Sample Id | Sampler | pH | SC | Date | TempC | Flow Rate | Flow Units | Flow Method | Source | Ind No | Veg | Stain | Salt | Sulf | Turb | Location Related to Stream | Stream | Sedimention | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBUS10M | ORB | 6.96 | 55 | 7/13/1992 | 11.4 | 1490 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | N | N | N | N | N | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | UPSTREAM OF STREAM FROM BULLION | |
| BBUS20L | ORB | 7.63 | 87.6 | 7/13/1992 | 11.4 | 974.8 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | N | N | N | N | N | NA | JACK CREEK UPSTREAM | NO | Y | JACK CREEK ABOVE BULLION STREAM | |
| BBUS30M | ORB | 7.48 | 85.4 | 7/13/1992 | 13.2 | 2463 | GPM | METER | STREAM | ST | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | NA | JACK CREEK | SI | Y | JACK CREEK BELOW BULLION STREAM | |
| BBUS40L | ORB | 7.37 | 55 | 7/13/1992 | 9.3 | 238.8 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | UPSTREAM OF MAIN ADIT DISCHARGES | |
| BBUS50H | ORB | 2.58 | 176.5 | 7/13/1992 | 13 | 15 | GPM | ESTIMATED | ADIT | ST | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | NA | UNNAMED | SI | Y | ADIT DISCHARGE INTO STREAM | |
| BBUS60M | ORB | 6.27 | 148.9 | 7/13/1992 | 15 | 482.2 | GPM | METER | STREAM | ST | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | NA | UNNAMED | SI | Y | BELOW MAIN BULLION AND TAILS | |
| BBUS70M | ORB | 6.93 | 157.6 | 7/13/1992 | 7.3 | 0.75 | GPM | BUCKET | ADIT | ST | N | Y | N | Y | N | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | LOWER BULLION ADIT DISCHARGE | |
| BBUS80L | ORB | 7.58 | 71.4 | 7/13/1992 | 7.1 | 452.6 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | N | N | N | N | N | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | DOWNSTREAM OF LOWER BULLION ADIT | |
| BBUS90M | ORB | 7.6 | 70.1 | 7/13/1992 | 7.5 | 321.8 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | N | N | N | N | N | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | DOWNSTREAM OF L.BULLION ADIT UPSTREAM OF MILL SITE | |
| BBUSA0M | ORB | 7.58 | 71.5 | 7/13/1992 | 12 | 688.3 | GPM | METER | STREAM | NO | N | N | N | N | N | NA | UNNAMED | NO | Y | DOWNSTREAM OF LOWER BULLION MILL SITE |
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Mill Tailings: Y Adit Discharge: Y Metal Leaching: Y Water Erosion: Y Residence: Y Hazardous Materials: N Open Adit: Y Visit: Y Comments: MBMG GEOLOGIST: JEFF LONN; 6/92 |
| Sample Id | Source | Date | Sampler | Sample Type | L Transect | Soil Interval | Indicator of contamination | Path | Veg | Color | Salt | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBUD10H | WA | 7/13/1992 | ORB | COMP | 5 | 0-6" | V | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| BBUD20H | SP | 7/13/1992 | ORB | GRAB | 0-6" | V | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| BBUD30L | WA | 7/13/1992 | ORB | GRAB | 0-6" | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y |
| Type | Number | Condition | Photos Available | Photo Numbers | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL01 | 1 | P | N | ORE CHUTE ON PRIVATE LAND AT MAIN BULLION EASY ACCESS | |
| MI01 | 1 | P | Y | LOWER BULLION MILL: SEVERAL BUILDINGS AND FOUNDATIONS IN POOR REPAIR***CLOSE TO THE ROAD |
| Type | Wind Erosion | Veg | Rill | Gully | Seep | Pond | Breach | None | Stability | Floodplain | Dist Stream | Photos Available? | Photo Numbers |
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| MI01 | LOW | BARREN | N | LOW | NEAR | 50 | Y | ||||||
| SP01 | MOD | BARREN | G | LOW | IN | 0 | Y | ||||||
| WA01 | MOD | BARREN | S | LOW | IN | 0 | Y | ||||||
| WA02 | LOW | MOD | N | LOW | NEAR | 50 | Y |
| Type | Latitude | Longitude | UTM_N | UTM_E | UTM_Z | Size Open Length | Size Open Width | Elevation | Elevation Units |
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| A01 | |||||||||
| A02 | |||||||||
| A03 |
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Investigator: J. METESH Date: 6/20/1992 Photos Available?: Y Access: 4W Nearest Wetlands/Bog: 1 Drainage Basin: BASIN Water Contact Stream: Y Nearest Surface Water Intake: 8 Number of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream: 1 Uses of Surface Water Intake(s) observed within 15 miles downstream: BASIN WATER SUPPLY Nearest Wells (miles): 5 Number of Wells within 4 miles: 0 Uses of Wells within 4 miles: Nearest Dwelling (miles): 3 Number of Months Occupied: 12 Number of Houses within 2 miles: 0 Recreational Usage on Site: M Nearest Recreational Area (miles): 5 Name or Type of Recreational Area: Safety Risk from Open Adit/Shaft: Y Safety Risk from Highwall or Unstable Slopes: Safety Risk from Unstable Structures: Y 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: 0 Population within 0.25-0.5 miles: 4 Population within 0.5-1 miles: 0 Population within 1-2 miles: 0 Population within 2-3 miles: 0 Population within 3-4 miles: 0 Public Interest: M |
| Sample Id | Lab Id | Description | Project | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBUD10H | 92S0311 | BULLION | DLFORST | |
| BBUD20H | 92S0312 | BULLION | DLFORST | |
| BBUD30L | 92S0320 | DUPLICATE OF BBUD10H; BULLION | DLFORST |
End of report. Retrieved 5/3/2024 2:06:36 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.