The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-03
THE MINES OF MONTANA,
Mineral Resources Of the State as
Given by q Recent Govern
ment Publication.
How the Production OF the Red
Metal Has Increased In
Nine Years.
Growth Of Coal Mining Production Of
Granite, Iron Orc and

Mineral Resources OF this United
States is the title OF n very interesting
publication issued by tho government un-
der the direction Of David r. Day, Of the
United States geological survey. II covers
the years 1890, and while its general
statiatius are now comparatively stale. 1t
covers the field thoroughly, and 10 valuable
10 a book OF reference. Some OF the stat
istics are OF interest to Montanians. But
few are aware Of the fact that this state
furnishes a fair proportion of the total
antimony produced in the United States.
In 1890 the total product of the ooantry WAS
267. rs pounds. valued at 80, 7b6. The to-
tai product Of Montana was forty-six tons,
twenty-nins and a half tons Of which cams
from the vicinity of Thompson Falls. In
addition to the forty-six tons of first class
ore Core yielding IS per cent or more OF
star regulus being considered first GLASS;,
Montana mined 200 tons Of second class
ore, none of which was sold or treated.
In 1880 Montana produced 517.47 0 n OF
coal. valued at 81, 252, 492. This exceeded
the year proceeding by 1854, 176 tons. The
counties producing were Cascade. Choteau.
Custer, Dawson, Furgus, Gallstin, Lewis
and Clarke and Park. The latter headed
the list with 252. 1877 tons. and Cascade was
4 close second with 2O0. 1876 tons. The
smallest amount was produced by Lewis
duced IS. 795 tons of coal; in 1887 it dropped
to TO- O2 tons. in 1883 it was 41.467 tons,
in 1883. 363. 301 tons. \ in 1890, 517,477
tons, Come coal has been found in Deer
Lodge county, but no attempt has been
made to produce for the market.
r. 1QAn kH~~r~n lAl &hn n@,,1k-. ~ skr
copper produetion, the total being l12, $780,
500 pounds, the next highest. tho Lake Su-
perior mines, producing 100. 745, 277 pounds.
The growth of the copper production in
Montana since 1883 has been almost phe-
nomenal. In that year Montana produced
81, 797, 1864; 1886. 57,6l1.62l; 1887. 70, 1888, ST.;
1888, 1887. 968; 1889. 9S, 222, 444; and in
1890. 112, $50, 1876 pounds.
In 1890 Montana produced So. 139. 1927 in
gold and $40. 1868, 636 in silver. The total
production of the United states of the first
was 3d., 900 and $70.48 8 TIA in silver i.
lana ia included with that Of Arkansaa.
Washington and Nevada and the total Of
the four states was $4,000. During The
past ten years Montana has became noted
for it's granite output, and its product
reaches at least $3.50. GOO annually now, 30
that the figures for 1890 are merely good as
q comparison.
Az q producer of iron ore Montana in
1890 makes but a poor showing, the total
for this state, Oregon. New Mexico and
Utah being placed at 81, 632 tons. This is
not because Montana has not large deposits
of iron, but because it has not proved profit
able to mine.
No figures are given of tho lead output in
1890, but the year proceeding Montana il
credited with an ore product 'oarrying
10, 1873 tons of metal and yet the smelters of
the state produced 19,404 tons OF bar
bullion.