The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-01-03
Old Neihart Mines Have Produced
" IL Millions Since First Discovery

Prediction that some Of the mines
Of the Neihart district, 65 miles
southeast Of Great Falls, may be
developed to a depth Of 1000
to $500 feet below their present lev
els Is announced by Prof. Paul A.
s sedasSs OF for %01 the state ssR0' bureau M aa." q
mines and geology. The Neihart re-
gion is noted for having been one of
the rich silver districts in Montana,
having produced $17.OOO,0OO since its
discovery by J. L. Neihart and his as
sociates in 1882.
Professor Schafer's announcement is
the result of a careful study Of mines
mers of 1888 and 1884. His investiga-
tions have been published recently by
the state bureau of mines under the
title of Memoir No. 10, Geology and
Ore Deposits of the Neihart Mining
District. and are now available for
the public. The field work was supple
mented by exhaustive laboratory exam
ination of ores and rocks from the
Some of the ore from Neihart mines
was very rich, according to records
mentioned in the report. One shipment
of 20 tons from the Benton mine
brought a return of $26, 900. The Moul-
ton mine, from 1918 to 1923, produced
about 81, 900 900 out of a total of ST.
000, 900. The Silver Dyke, from 1928
to 1929, totaled nearly $4,000 o The
produced several million dollars. Mines
that produced about a 81, 100000 each
include the Big Seven, Bolton, Queen
of the Hills. Calf and Florence. The
Hartley totaled about $3.50, 0OG.
1T is impossible that large reserves
of high grade ore exist in any Of the
old mines" Professor Shafer comments
considerable tonnages of low grade
material. consisting largely of zinc
ore has been proved in many proper
ties and is suspected in many more.
Because of zinc content these ores
were not profitable in earlier days but
modern milling methods now make it
possible to mine them with hope of
profit: Few single veins at Neihart are
capable OF supplying enough ore for
reason it is recommended that a group
of veins be mined to supply one mill,
thereby lowering the cost of treatment.
On the basis of the recommendation,
the report divided the district into
three regions. Carpenter creek, Mel
hart slope and Snow creek, each of
manner"
Originally the Neihart veins extend
ed to a depth of at least 4,500 feet be-
low the surface as it existed at that
time. Internationally these veins were
divided into three parts: The upper
part consisted of a very rich gold
silver ore extending to a depth of
about $500 feet; at about that depth
the character of the ore changed to
silver-lead ores, which extended for
an additional 1000 feet. Below the
middle zone the ore changes into a low
grade zinc ore with some silver con-
tent.
During the millions Of years since
deposition of the veins, erosion has &C.
CURED in such a way as to expose each
Snow creek area are chiefly in the
upper zone; in the lower parts OF
these mines the ore begins to show
the characteristic silver-1ead mineral
ization of the second zone.
The Neihart slope area is that part
of the district where erosion has ex-
posed the second zon and the mines
there have ore that changes gradually
from the silver-lead type to the low
zone, which is exposed in the Carpen-
ter creek district.
Thus, it IS apparent, according tc
Professor Schafer'S report, that Some
of the mines in the Snow creek anc
Neihart slope regions may have ore
that might be mined at a profit into
the lower zone. In ONE instances this
means that some of the mines may be
worked to an additional depth of 1000
to $500 feet.
TN general, the report is conserva.
lively optimistic as to the future Of
mining In Neihart." President Francis
A. Thomson, director of the state bu-
rreau Of mines and geology says in q
skilled management is available fol
consolidated properties and provided
further that geologic and metallurgie
problems are placed in competent
hands for solution. No evidence is
found which would justify q boom in
the district but the prospects appear
encouraging for careful, cautious ex-
ploitation Of the district by experienced
operators"
The report includes a geologic mar
showing outcrops of the veins, mine
dumps and general geology of the en-
mn IAnO VIII