Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-11-22
PHOTOGRAPHY
OF ARTICLES
ON CHROMTTE


The Journal has received many re-
quests for publications dealing with
deposits Of chromite in Montana and
there appear to be few publications
descriptive Of this little-known mineral
which has come into prominence only
IN recent years. The journal requested
a list Of publications from the Min
eral Resources Survey at the School
OF Mines at Butte and has received
the following photography OF IS pub
LEGATIONS, together with a digest Of
each Because Of the widespread In
terest IN the subject Of chromite, the
photography is here printed IN fun:
Anonymous. ChrOmite salts from
domestic ores: Eng. and Rim. Jour.
vol l4I, No. S, PIP. 50-51, fig, 1870.
Utilization of domestic chromite ores
is now Of considerable interest to the
United States Bureau Of Mines. There
are deposits Of possible commercial
value in Montana. California, Oregon,
Washington and Alaska. Present pro-
duction of chrome chemicals Is derived
from imported ores. This investigation
was made to study methods by which
chromateS and dictionaries can be
produced from domestic ores and to
estimate economic possibilities Of the
methods studied.
Anonymous. A new industry for
Montana; American Chrome Prod
ucts Corp" PIP. lis. 1926
The "Benbow" group Of chrome
claims located near Columbus, Mont,
are seven in number, situated end on
end, they measure approximately over
1O,500 feet in length. Their combined
estimate tonnage of mineable ore is
over 100000 tons. The title to these
claims viii be vested In the American
Chrome Products Corp" Uses of
chrome in industry are enumerated. /
and mining engineers who
examined the property are listed and |
extracts from their reports given. This /
is largest deposit of this class of 1
chrome ores in the United States.
DiIler, Joseph S. Recent studies
of chrOmite deposits: Am. Inst.
Min. Met. Eng. Bull, vol. 153, pp.
1995-2O4O, 20 figs, 1919; Am. Inst.
Min. Met Eng. Trans, vol SO,
PIP. 1O5-149, 1920.
Chromite has been discovered be-
tween Red Lodge and Livingston.
Those near Red Lodge are less inn
Dortant than those farther northwest,
IN the drainage of Boulder creek where
chrome occurs in a pyroxenite dixie.
The dixie is from to l mile wide
md 80 miles long The pyroxenite is
composed chiefly of enstatite with but
title alteration to serpentine. Chrom-
tie occurs as a dike-shaped body in
he pyroxenite Chromite belt in
Bonanza claim is about 80 feet thick
md its structure is banded, the thick
st band of chromite Is Is inches. In
3enbow mine chromite occurs in q
nearly vertical deposit from 81 to 81
eet wide, its estimated depth is at
east 700 feet Length Of deposit in
3enbow claim is 5000 feet and the
onnage to a depth Of 100 feet is
stimated at $4,000 tons. The chromite
,odies are not true veins but are be-
lore basic portion of the magma into
he partly cooled but still pasty py- /.
oxenite. The ore generally runs some
that less than 40 percent chronic
xide and about Is percent iron oxide. :
he deposits of Saltwater and Sweet :
raSs counties are low-grade and not
eadily concentratable to high-grade :
re, but are still of great Importance. :
Rowland, Arthur L. Peoples, S. r
w., and Sampson, Edward). The 7
saltwater igneOus complex and as r
ISOLATED occurrences Of nickel and 7
platinum group metals: Montana |,
Bur. Mines and Geology, Misc. 6
Cont. 7, PIP. LIS, / pL, 1886. d
The Saltwater igneous complex is r
group Of unusual rocks in which Il
orite and anorthosite predominant. :
extends for 80 miles along the front II
[ the Beartooth plateau from near II
can, in Saltwater county, to a little III
est of Contact, in Park county. AS III
,ciated with the rocks of the COM
lex are mineral deposits containing III
,pper, nickel, chromite and platinum III
ne Of the most remarkable features
the complex is the arrangement in
ratiform layers varying widely in the
'lative proportions of the few con-
fluent minerals. The thickness of III
lie individual bands range from one
two inches to hundreds of feet
ost Of the sulfides of the complex are
deposits scattered along the base
evelopment work has been done only \
/ two Of these deposits which con- In
in nickel and copper. The presence
a workable ore body of platinum II
one remotely approaching it is not
yet indicated. The chromite deposits ii
e not Of enough value to warrant
UGH development because Of present
arket conditions. This complex is