Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-10-04

In saltwater county, a Mr.. Benbov
of Columbus, also in 1917 discovered
chromite lenses Of considerable siz
and in an area extending for at leas
two miles in length, about two and
half miles east of the Saltwater rive
and about 40 miles southwest of Co.
lumbus, Mont Mr.. Benbow located
seven claims on these deposits and ex'
posed by trenching substantial bodie.
Of chromite ore. Later, Judge B. E
Berg of Columbus, and later Living.
ston, assisted Mr.. Benbow In the de-
velopment of these properties anc
same are being today developed under
the direction Of the Anaconda Copper
Mining Co by the United States gov
eminent for the purpose Of supplying
chromite ore for defense purposes In
the present serious emergency.
Mouat Properties
At about the same time Mr.. Ben
bow made his discoveries, Mr.. Mouat
made several discoveries on the west
side of the Saltwater and about six
miles southwest of Nye. These dis
coveries are also at present being de-
veloped by the federal government for
obtaining ore for defense purposes.
Boulder River
In the same year d91D, several
prospectors residing on the Boulder
river about 33 miles southwest of Big
Timber, made discoveries of chromite
on the east side Of the Boulder river
and about three miles south of Con-
tact, Mont. These gentlemen, as nearly
7
win, Charles Blakeley, oscar Miller
and one or two others whose names
I cannot just now recall. These de-
poSits were called the Boulder river
chromite deposits and are located IN
county.
In 1918, the writer, at the direct re-
quest of Mr.. Franklin D. Lane. secre-
tary of the interior at that time, in
terested himself in the attempt toI
develop the Boulder river deposits,
finding them rather expensive toI
mine and due to the rough terrain
IN which they occurred, very difficult
10 transport to the railroad. However,
ore was in such great de-
nand that the price was proportion
ately high and had the war lasted
another year, unquestionably consider
able money might have been made
n its development.
Unfortunately, the cessation of hos
,ilities caused a disastrous loss to the
writer. All interest in chromite de-
oosits were discontinued until 1922
when, on a trip to Pittsburgh, the
writer saw the first stainless steel
manufactured in a manufacturing
llant in the United States and the
lext day, in the company of an old
riend. visited the manufacturing plant
md saw the method by which stain
ess steel was produced. The material
vas so astonishing in its wonderful
that the conclusion was i'm
nediately forced upon the writer that
With the deposits of chromite available
n Montana, it was certain that in the
uture perhaps distant, well worth
While industry should and could be
developed. This opinion was predi-
ated upon the fact that In Montana
ccurred In almost unlimited quantities
II of the raw materials necessary for
he manufacture, at least the first
ten in the manufacture Of alloy steels
-om chromite ores, i.e., the making OF
srro- chrome.
errO- Chrome Defined
To explain, it is necessary in max
lg alloy steels to first make ingot
eel and to make ferro-chrome from
le chromite ore. 1t is called ferro-
arome, corresponding largely to pig
on, the first step in the manufac-
ire of steel from iron ore. Chromite
.e contains both chromium and iron
etals which when reduced yields a
fixture of chromium and iron metal
lied ferro-chrome, also containing a
.latively high proportion of carbon
hich is later partially removed by a
filming process. This ferro-chrome is
len mixed in the proper proportions
it'll ingot steel and remelted in an
ectric arc furnace, to be finally
,ured into ingots which are either