Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-03-08
Chrome Deposits Among Most
Significant In United States"

molybdenum and to the vast
iron ore deposits of the state
of Montana as a result OF the
recent report by the United
States Bureau of Mines on
the marginal ores of the
chromium deposits in Still
water district north OF Vel
lowstone park
The most comprehensive re-
port on the district is that
issued by the Montana Bur
eau of Mines and Geology,
written by Paul \. Schafcr
of the Montana School OF
Mines at Butte and known as
Memoir No. Is.
The term marginal" has
been applied to the Montana
deposits but DR.. Francis A.
Thomson, director of the
bureau, declares in the fore
word of this publication that
these deposits appear to be
among the most significant
in the United States.
THE price of chromite and the
nature and grade of the deposits
is not such as to justify small
scale operations, DR.. Thomson
continued: furthermore, the prob
lem of raising the grade of much
of the material by suitable con-
centration methods, and OF subse- |
quent metallurgical or other treat |
ment, will require, the expenditure
of considerable capital.
Nevertheless, the Bureau be-
lieves itself justified in saying that
the chrome deposits of south-cen-
trail Montana are of sufficient mag
nitude to Justify more attention
than they have received so far, and
that in view of the constantly ex-
banding uses of chromium in var
ious forms. these deposits constl-
tute an important mineral resource
which in time will prove to be OF
great value to the state and to the
nation alike.
Contained in this report is
photography Of publications on the
Montana chromite deposits includ
ing the following:
Diller. j S.. Recent Studies OF
Domestic Chromite Deposits Am.
Inst. Min. Met. Eng. Bull. No. 1873,
pp. 1995-2040. 1919. Trans. vol.
SO. PIP 1O5-149. 1920.
Westgate. L. G., Deposits Of
Chromite in Saltwater and Sweet
grass Counties. Montana" U. S. Ge-
oil. Survey Bull. 1926, PIP. 67-83,
1921
Rowland, A. L., Peoples, J. W.
and Sampson, Edward, THE Still
water Igneous Complex and Asso--
ciated Occurrences OF Nickel ana
Platinum Group Metals. Montana
Bur. Mines and Geology Misc. Con
tributions. No. Z, 1886.
Rowland, A. L., "Metamorphlc
rocks and sulphide deposits of the
saltwater Complex, Saltwater and
Sweetgrass Counties, Montana" un-
published Doctor dissertation.
Princeton university
Clapp, C. H., "Chromite Deposits
in the Vicinity of Boulder River,
Sweetgrass County, Montana" un-
published private report.
Jones, Werner, "Chromite depos-
its near Sheridan, Montana; Econ.
Geol., Vol. %. PIP 625-669, 1881.
Kemp, P. F., "Benbow Chrome
Claims unpublished report.
Riesler Max, "Benbow Chrome
Claims, Montana" unpublished re-
port
Tout, C. v. A., Preliminary Elk
animation of Chromite Near Sheri-
dan, Montana. unpublished report.
In a discussion of market and
sources of chromite in the United
States, Prof Schafer says:
The price of chromite depends
on its quality. Ores containing so
percent to 81 per cent Cr20S are
worth from 50 to SO more than
ore containing as percent Cr2OS.
The variation in price for As per
cent Cr203 ore. since 1928, has
been from SIT to S23 per long ton.
In Montana, chromite has been
found in Sweetgrass, Saltwater,
Park, Carbon and Madison eoun-
ties. All deposits, except that in
Madison county, are in the Bear
tooth Range, short distance north
of the Wyoming line. near Yellow
stone National Park. There are two
principal chromite areas in these
mountains. one south of Red Lodge,
the other between Fishtail Greek
and Boulder River, south of Column
bus and Big Timber
"In Madison county, chrOmite oc-
ours near Horse Creek few miles
east OF Sheridan in zone about
two miles long. Another deposit has
been recognized near Iron Rod, but,
so far as is known, it is small and |
of no commercial Importance.
ut would not be surprising If |
other deposits were discovered from
time to time in other prelCambrian |
portions of the State. Little syste-
matte prospecting for chromite has
been done, and most discoveries
are of relatively recent date. AL |