Montana labor news., 1936-02-27
METAL MINING In
MONTANA, 1885

The value OF gold, silver, copper, lead
and zinc produced in Montana in 1855,
according to estimates of T. H. Miller,
OF the United States Bureau Of Mines,
Department of the Interior, was apr
Ultimately $31 100000, or more than
double the value ($l4,439,S63 OF the
output in 1884. The gain was due
chiefly to the marked increase in the
output of copper ore and lead-zinc ore
from mines at Butte and to the con-
tinued increase in the output OF Slice
Gus gold ore from nearly all the gold
mining districts in the State.
There were marked increases in the
output Of each metal; gold increased
from 97,445.95 ounces in 1884 to AZ
$50 ounces in 1885, silver from 4,OO6,-
46S to 9,3700OO ounces, copper from
63,265,000 to 155,890,000 pounds, lead
from 100000 to 31,650,000 pounds,
and zinc from 6l,442,256 to l07, 100000
pounds. OF special interest to the min
ing industry OF Montana was the nor
NAL operation of the copper and zinc
mines at Butte the entire year; in 1884
these mines were closed for about 5
months because of unsettled labor con-
ditions.
The gold output in 1885 was valued
at $5,174,750 compared with $3,4O5,73
in 1884, both figures based on gold
price OF $34.95 per fine ounce Gold
from placer mines in 1885 was esti-
mated at 24,500 ounces, a slight de-
crease from 25,543.89 ounces in 1884.
The large Yuba dredge on Gold Greek
near Pioneer, Powell County, was
again the largest producer Of gold in
Montana; its output in 1885 was sub
stantially the same as in 1884, having
operated at a nominal rate throughout
the year. The dredge in Ophir Gulch,
near Avon, also in Powell County, was
dismantled and moved to a property in
California during the summer when
all available dredge ground had been
treated, resulting in a sharp decrease
in gold from Ophir Gulch. This loss
however, wa partly offset by produc-
ton from new placer operations in
Guiding the new 4,500 cubic-yard Yuba
dredge Of Porter Brothers Co., which
started operations in November at the
foot Of Last Chance Gulch on the out
skirts of Helena, and the large dry
land dredge Of Humphreys Gold Cor
poration operating in Alder Gulch just
below Virginia City. There was also
a decrease in gold from the dredge oil
Winston Bros. Co. due to moving the
plant to a new location on Prickly
Pear Creek near Montana City. The
output Of gold from small scale placer
operations was considerably less than
that in 1884, indicating a decrease in
the number Of operating placer mines
Gold from lode mines was estimated
at 123,350.00 ounces compared with r.
902.06 ounces in 1884. Part of this in
crease came from copper ore and lead
zinc ore including the Anaconda, Or
phan Girl, and Comet properties, but
the majority of the increase came from
mines producing gold ore including the
Spring Hill, Golden Messenger, Ruby
Gulch, Jay Gould, Mammoth, Boaz
Emery, Shafer, Mayflower, and Vos-
burg mines, each Of which reported an
increase OF more than 1000 ounces OF
gold.
The largest producers of gold il
Montana in 1885, named in order Of
output, were the Pioneer dredge, Jay
Gould STANDARD Silver Lead Mining
co.,, Spring He'll, August little Ben
Mining Coz, Golden Messenger unit
ed Gold Mines Coz, Jardine, Anacon-
da Copper Mining Co. "copper" and zinc
mines), Comet basin Montana Tun-
mel Coz, Mammoth liberty Montana
Mines Coz, Ruby Gulch phillips Coun-
ty), and the Humphreys dredge. There
was a marked increase in the output
Of s%iliceous gold ore, nearly all Of
which was treated in milling plants
the number of producers of gold ore
probably exceeded that in 1884
The value of the silver output in
creased from $2,590,040 in 1884 to &c.
915,100 in 1885, and the average sale
price increased from 64.646+ cents ar
ounce in 1884 to 1873 cents an ounce
in 1885. Nearly two-thirds of the sill
yer increase came from the copper
and zinc claims Of the Anaconda Cop
per Mining Co. at Butte, but substan-
tial increases were also reported at the
Trout, Emma, Flathead, Comet, Quartz
Hill, and Granite Bimetallic proper
ties. These 7 producers, named in or
der Of rank, accounted for nearly 81
percent Of the State total silver.
The value OF the copper output in
creased from $5,061, 200 in 1884 to $13,.
094,S00 in 1885, and the average sale
price Of copper increased from 80 cents
to 8.4 cents a pound. The Anaconda
Copper Mining Co., as usual, produced
nearly all the State copper. Opera
tions at the Butte mines were on q
normal basis during the entire year
while in 1884 the mines were CLOSED
for about 5 months due to labor con
ditions. Other producers of copper in
cluded the Trout, Emma, and Come
mines, all producers of lead-zinc ere
The value Of the lead produced il
Montana increased from $74O,3O il
1884 to $1,266,OOO in 1885; the sale
1890