Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-02-22

be the richest ore IN MOntan
A second deal is pending, in
volving the properties of Chromium
Products corporation of Livingston
Canadian firm having taken leas-
es on this company's Benbow group
Of claims in saltwater county. This
Company claims better than 1,O0O,-
600 tons Of chrome ore above the
level of its 5OO-foot tunnel This
ore is said to average p % chronic
oxide, and concentration tests show
that concentrates will assay "A %
chronic oxide with $50 recovery.
The Canadian corporation is said
TO have developed a method OF
handling marginal chromium ores
that will make the Montana metal
suitable for use in eastern steel
plants. Extensive work has been
done on the ore taken from the
Chromium Products properties, 40
miles southwest of Columbus.
Montana Chrome has spent a
large amount of money in devel-
opment work on its claims and in
experimental work. An electric
smelling process was developed in
cooperation with officials of the
A.C.M. and Montana Power but has
not yet been developed beyond a
pilot plant
The Washington account follows:
WASHINGTON-The government
was reported to be negotiating with
the Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
for development of chrome deposits
in Montana to increase supplies of
the metal. an essential in produc-
ton of certain alloy steels.
Officials of the office of produc-
ton management said that studies
have been made of new chrome sup
plies, as well as other metals, but
they would not disclose the names
of any firms with which they had
been discussing the situation.
In other quarters however, it was
learned that Anaconda has been ap-
preached on the matter and that
through the Reconstruction Finance
Corp. or one of its subsidiaries.
The chrome deposits in Montana
and their development was describ-
ed as having been Improbable
when sufficient imports were avail
able.
Latest available figures show that
the United States produced only
3.614 tons of chrome in 1889 and
imported 1851 tons of chromite
ore that year. 1t was estimated
the Montana deposits could pro-
duce about $4,000 tons of chrome
concentrates. which are partially
processed chromite ores, year
and that production must be sta tied
by fall
Comments On News
Commenting on the news, the
Great Falls Tribune on Wednesday
said:
Development of Montanas chrome
deposits, proposed Tuesday in dis
cussions reported out of Washing
ton, D. c., between the government
and the Anaconda Copper Mining
Co, has long been a goal of min
ing engineers who have studied
the mineral resources of the Treas
ure state.
Local engineers said it was prob
able the prime feature in the pre-
sent development plans was the
utilization of a new method of con-
centrating ferro-chrome ore such
as Is abundant in this state. Pre-.
viously the high iron content and
the lack OF an economical method
of concentration and reduction has
been a stumbling block to those
seeking to capitalize on Montana
deposits.
Recently an announcement was
carried in news dispatches, and
later in trade journals, OF the de-
velopment of a formula that utiliz-
ed electric furnaces for the task of
freeing the chrome of its high iron
content.
The United States geological sur
vey has made public a survey which
shows large deposits in Saltwater
and Carbon counties and smaller
bodies of ore in Sweet Grass, Park
and Madison counties.
Engineers said it was probable
concentration and reduction OF the
ferrochrome ore-utilizing electric
power-would be done close to the
deposits. as it was simpler to trans
port the power to the mills than to
carry the ore to Anaconda or Great
Falls.
A few years ago a group of Liv-
ingston men organized to seek some
way to develop deposits in the
southern part Of the state. A re-
search laboratory was established
and considerable experimentation
conducted, but to date no develop
ment has come from that quarter.