Abandoned mines in Jefferson County, Montana

1. Mine openings

   shafts, adits, air shafts, portals and vertical openings: the ways into underground workings
   443 21.0%
2. Prospect pits and trenches

   shallow exploration diggings that never became a mine
   1,409 66.9%
3. Mines and surface workings

   labelled mines, open pits, strip mines, placer and hydraulic workings
   64 3.0%
4. Quarries, gravel and borrow pits

   construction-material and industrial-mineral extraction
   50 2.4%
5. Dumps, tailings, spoil and gob

   what mining left above ground
   46 2.2%
6. Mills, tipples and facilities

   processing plants and hazardous structures
   26 1.2%
7. Other reclamation problems

   highwalls, subsidence, polluted or clogged water, fires, slides and gases in OSMRE's inventory
   68 3.2%

A name is the label printed beside the symbol on the map. "First mapped" is the earliest topographic edition that shows the symbol, which bounds the feature's age from above; it is not the date it was worked. Unnamed features (most prospect pits, adits and shafts carry no label) are in the counts above but not this list.

Problem types carry OSMRE's priority prefix: P1 and P2 are threats to health, safety and property, P3 is environmental. A problem area is a cluster of problems reclaimed as one project; several rows can share one location.

1. Aquarius

   Underground metal/non-metal · Robertson & Wendt Mining Co · MSHA ID 2401245
   Abandoned 1977-12-02
2. Basin Mill

   Facility metal/non-metal · Intermountain Mineral Engineers Inc · MSHA ID 2401401
   Abandoned 1990-01-22
3. Basin Quarry

   Surface metal/non-metal · Pacific Silica Company · MSHA ID 2400058
   Abandoned 1985-03-19
4. Bi-Metallic

   Underground metal/non-metal · Bi-Mettalic Corp · MSHA ID 2401664
   Abandoned 1982-05-18
5. Black Patchmine Claims

   Surface metal/non-metal · A-Gem Exploration & Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 2401782
   Abandoned 1985-06-27
6. Boulder Chief Mine

   Underground metal/non-metal · Watkins Enterprizes · MSHA ID 2401011
   Abandoned 1985-05-02
7. BRIGGS PIT

   Surface metal/non-metal · Briggs Sand & Gravel · MSHA ID 2402059
   Abandoned 2001-02-12
8. Bullion

   Surface metal/non-metal · Crystal Northwest Mines Inc · MSHA ID 2401730
   Abandoned 1983-09-01
9. Carleson Mine

   Surface metal/non-metal · Wildfire Mining · MSHA ID 2401616
   Abandoned 1982-07-29
10. Cateract Flats Placer

    Surface metal/non-metal · Bullock Brothers Inc · MSHA ID 2401567
    Abandoned 1982-04-06
11. Chinese Diggings

    Surface metal/non-metal · Nrs Inc · MSHA ID 2401594
    Abandoned 1985-05-22
12. Clark Gulch Quarry

    Surface metal/non-metal · Raiser Cement Corp · MSHA ID 2401570
    Abandoned 1981-04-10
13. Crenshaw

    Surface metal/non-metal · Mount Heagan Development Inc · MSHA ID 2401766
    Abandoned 1988-04-22
14. Crystal

    Underground metal/non-metal · Bullock Brothers Inc · MSHA ID 2400218
    Abandoned 1977-11-14
15. Crystal

    Underground metal/non-metal · C N W Operations Inc · MSHA ID 2401566
    Abandoned 1982-08-26
16. Dead Bear

    Underground metal/non-metal · Star Meadow Mining Inc · MSHA ID 2401846
    Abandoned 1987-08-20
17. Elkhorn Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Pioneer Nuclear Inc · MSHA ID 2401657
    Abandoned 1983-02-11
18. Elkhorn Mine/ Golden Dream

    Underground metal/non-metal · Elkhorn Goldfields Inc · MSHA ID 2402207
    Abandoned 2013-07-11
19. Elkhorn Tourmaline-Queen

    Surface metal/non-metal · Falcon Explorations Company · MSHA ID 2401613
    Abandoned 1982-07-15
20. Fab Tech Screening Plant

    Surface metal/non-metal · Smith Contracting, Inc · MSHA ID 2402216
    Abandoned 2019-10-29
21. Golden Age

    Underground metal/non-metal · James & Kruse · MSHA ID 2401634
    Abandoned 1982-07-29
22. Golden Assets

    Surface metal/non-metal · Glen Mining · MSHA ID 2401484
    Abandoned 1992-06-09
23. Golden Sunlight Underground Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Redpath USA Corporation · MSHA ID 2402286
    Abandoned 2019-05-13
24. Gruber 1

    Surface metal/non-metal · Gruber Excavating Inc · MSHA ID 2402644
    Abandoned 2016-10-01
25. Hawkeye

    Underground metal/non-metal · Lynn Mine & Mining Inc · MSHA ID 2401637
    Abandoned 1983-09-01
26. HOLMES GULCH PROTECT

    Surface metal/non-metal · Mineral Rights Unlimited · MSHA ID 2402210
    Abandoned 2001-05-29
27. Janney Portable Crusher

    Surface metal/non-metal · Janney Construction Company Inc · MSHA ID 2401448
    Abandoned 1982-01-18
28. Jefferson Portable

    Surface metal/non-metal · Jefferson County · MSHA ID 2401867
    Abandoned 1992-08-14
29. Katie Lodes

    Underground metal/non-metal · H & F Enterprises · MSHA ID 2401758
    Abandoned 1984-07-17
30. Lincoln Gulch Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Nrs Inc · MSHA ID 2401725
    Abandoned 1985-03-18
31. Little Goldie

    Underground metal/non-metal · Caboose Mining Company · MSHA ID 2401880
    Abandoned 1989-09-26
32. Lotta Tunnel

    Underground metal/non-metal · Gladstone Crushing & Construction Inc · MSHA ID 2401055
    Abandoned 1984-04-02
33. Lowland Creek Placer

    Surface metal/non-metal · G M R Resources Company · MSHA ID 2401553
    Abandoned 1981-02-02
34. Marshall-Chavez Mines

    Underground metal/non-metal · General Mining & Surveying · MSHA ID 2401469
    Abandoned 1979-08-28
35. MAYFLOWER MINE

    Underground metal/non-metal · Brimstone Mining Inc · MSHA ID 2402102
    Abandoned 2014-07-03
36. Meadow Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Meadowlark Mining Company Inc · MSHA ID 2400573
    Abandoned 1979-01-11
37. Montana City Limestone Quarry

    Surface metal/non-metal · Kaiser Cement Corp · MSHA ID 2401508
    Abandoned 1979-12-10
38. Montana City Placer Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Elliston Con Grupe · MSHA ID 2401787
    Abandoned 1987-07-14
39. Montana Tunnels Mining Inc

    Surface metal/non-metal · Montana Tunnels Mining Inc · MSHA ID 2401769
    Abandoned 2019-04-01
40. Nellie Grant

    Underground metal/non-metal · Sparrow Resources Ltd · MSHA ID 2401441
    Abandoned 1982-04-06
41. Newberg No 2

    Underground metal/non-metal · Solar Silver Inc · MSHA ID 2401432
    Abandoned 1980-07-01
42. NORDBERG #1

    Surface metal/non-metal · Mungas Company Inc · MSHA ID 2402179
    Abandoned 2001-08-20
43. O'Neill Construction

    Surface metal/non-metal · O'Neill Construction Inc · MSHA ID 2401866
    Abandoned 1991-07-09
44. Ophir

    Surface metal/non-metal · Ophir Exploration & Mining Company · MSHA ID 2401593
    Abandoned 1982-04-07
45. Perseverance

    Underground metal/non-metal · Perseverance Group · MSHA ID 2401980
    Abandoned 1992-09-10
46. Pipestone

    Underground metal/non-metal · Natures Calcium Products Company · MSHA ID 2401862
    Abandoned 1988-05-27
47. Plymouth

    Underground metal/non-metal · Mountain West Minerals Inc · MSHA ID 2401807
    Abandoned 1986-10-09
48. Riverside Placer

    Surface metal/non-metal · Montana Placer Company Inc · MSHA ID 2401680
    Abandoned 1983-02-11
49. Rumley Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Billern Corp · MSHA ID 2400220
    Abandoned 1985-06-27
50. Secondary Crusher

    Surface metal/non-metal · MK Weeden Construction · MSHA ID 2402755
    Abandoned 2023-09-18
51. SOUTH BOULDER GRAZZING ASSN PIT

    Surface metal/non-metal · Concrete Material Of Montana · MSHA ID 2402087
    Abandoned 2002-10-01
52. Stanco Portable Screen Plant

    Surface metal/non-metal · Stanco Inc · MSHA ID 2401568
    Abandoned 1983-02-11
53. State Mine

    Surface metal/non-metal · Dale S Ployhar · MSHA ID 2401557
    Abandoned 1982-07-07
54. Trinity Mine

    Underground metal/non-metal · Trinity Mining Corp Inc · MSHA ID 2401544
    Abandoned 1981-11-16
55. Whitetail

    Surface metal/non-metal · Whitetail Resources · MSHA ID 2401010
    Abandoned 1981-10-02
56. Whitetail

    Surface metal/non-metal · Whitetail Resources · MSHA ID 2401610
    Abandoned 1981-10-02
57. Woodland, EXTIC Portable

    Surface metal/non-metal · W. J. Woodland & Associates, Inc. · MSHA ID 2402281
    Abandoned 2003-08-19

Status and date are as reported to MSHA by the operator. Each mine's own page carries its accident, citation and inspection record.

• Madison County 3,766
• Silver Bow County 2,397
• Lewis and Clark County 1,862
• Broadwater County 1,418
• Beaverhead County 1,378
• Carbon County 769
• Powell County 741
• Granite County 719
• Cascade County 708
• Deer Lodge County 688
• Fergus County 550
• Meagher County 440

1. USGS, Consolidated Prospect- and Mine-Related Features from 7.5- and 15-Minute Topographic Quadrangle Maps of the United States (USMIN)
   597,612 point and area features digitized from about 106,350 historical topographic maps published 1886–2006; public domain (CC0). A feature is a map symbol, not a field-verified site, and the map does not say whether it was still worked.
2. USGS Fact Sheet 2025–3003, The Abandoned Mine Inventory of the United States
   States that as of 2025 there is no comprehensive national inventory of abandoned mine features, and that the detailed national database now being built will not be published.
3. OSMRE, Abandoned Mine Land Inventory System (e-AMLIS), public Problems layer
   One row per abandoned mine land problem in a problem area, with its type, funding program and reclamation status; mostly coal mined before the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Coordinates are the problem area's.
4. MSHA, Mines dataset (Mine Data Retrieval System)
   Every mine registered with MSHA since the 1970s; a mine reads Abandoned or Abandoned and Sealed when its operator reported that status. Refreshed weekly.
5. US Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic county boundaries (1:500,000)
   Each feature's county is assigned by its coordinates against these boundaries, not copied from the source file.
6. GAO-20-238, Abandoned Hardrock Mines (March 2020)
   Federal agencies had identified at least 140,000 abandoned hardrock mine features on federal land and estimated more than 390,000 more not yet captured in their databases.
7. Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation (AHMR) Program, US Department of the Interior
   The program the USGS inventory is compiled for. Its appropriations and the 674,000 field-confirmed feature count on this page were provided by the program manager, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, and are cited with permission (2026-09-08).
8. IMCC-NAAMLP Hardrock AML Report
   Page 48 carries the two figures this page leans on: USGS estimates 633,181 of the 725,690 mine features it recorded from historic topographic maps, 87 percent, are hardrock; and state and federal agencies have submitted more than 724,000 AML features to the national database being built, already more than the historic maps hold. Year-by-year AHMR funding is on page 35.