RockWoofFound alongside
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
2,624 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
1,930 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
1,624 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
683 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
630 sites
Galena
Mohs 2.5–2.75. Heavy, silvery lead ore that breaks into cubes. Mindat
465 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Jefferson County (396) · Beaverhead County (286) · Madison County (269) · Granite County (262) · Lewis and Clark County (185) · Silver Bow County (161) · Powell County (125) · Sanders County (119) · Park County (103) · Broadwater County (101) · Mineral County (99) · Missoula County (98) · Lincoln County (87) · Deer Lodge County (65) · Flathead County (47) · Sweet Grass County (42) · Ravalli County (32) · Meagher County (29) · Cascade County (24) · Judith Basin County (22) · Stillwater County (19) · Fergus County (17) · Gallatin County (13) · Lake County (12) · Phillips County (3) · Blaine County (2) · Carbon County (2) · Glacier County (1) · Golden Valley County (1) · Chouteau County (1) · Liberty County (1)
Sites (first 60)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena-Jefferson Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Alabandite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Molybdenite, Rhodonite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.357, -112.047 |
| Kent Mine | Silver, Gold, Lead | Anglesite, Bindheimite, Cerargyrite, Covellite, Galena, Jamesonite, Linarite | Past Producer | 45.187, -112.950 |
| Demos Group | Silver, Tungsten | Anglesite, Cerargyrite, Huebnerite, Tetrahedrite | Occurrence | 45.575, -111.976 |
| Hidden Treasure | Copper, Silver, Gold | Anglesite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Enargite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Smithsonite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.780, -113.665 |
| Forest Rose | Lead, Silver, Zinc | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.516, -113.086 |
| Hand Mauldin Group | Lead, Silver, Zinc, Copper | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Hemimorphite, Plumbojarosite | Producer | 45.287, -112.866 |
| Oro Mine | Lead, Silver, Gold, Zinc, Uranium, Copper | Anglesite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrite | Occurrence | 48.493, -116.022 |
| Sunrise Mine | Gold, Copper, Silver | Anglesite, Copper, Gold, Silver | Occurrence | 45.298, -113.022 |
| White Cap Mine | Silver | Anglesite, Galena | Past Producer | 45.847, -113.168 |
| Nick Preen Mine | Silver, Copper, Lead | Anglesite, Galena | Occurrence | 45.315, -113.033 |
| Argo Mine | Silver, Gold | Ankerite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Quartz | Past Producer | 46.687, -111.583 |
| Triangle and Grass Widow Mines | Copper | Ankerite, Chalcopyrite, Gold, Specularite | Past Producer | 46.790, -113.668 |
| Yellow Bird | Gold, Lead, Copper, Silver | Antimony | Past Producer | 45.269, -112.909 |
| Neihart | Silver, Lead, Copper, Gold, Zinc, Molybdenum | Antimony, Arsenic, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Pyrite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Producer | 46.933, -110.718 |
| Little Daisy Mine | Gold, Silver | Antimony, Galena, Gold | Past Producer | 46.686, -112.497 |
| New Departure Mine | Silver, Gold, Lead, Copper, Zinc | Argentite, Bindheimite, Cerargyrite, Galena, Gold, Jamesonite, Psilomelane, Pyrargyrite, Silver, Smithsonite, Sphalerite | Producer | 45.198, -112.922 |
| Lone Pine Mine | Silver, Gold, Copper | Argentite, Bornite, Cerargyrite, Embolite, Freibergite, Galena, Pyrargyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Stephanite | Past Producer | 45.715, -112.900 |
| Copper King Mine | Copper | Argentite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Enargite, Malachite, Tenorite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 47.618, -115.191 |
| Mary Ann Mine | Silver, Lead | Argentite, Bornite, Enargite, Galena | Past Producer | 47.922, -114.578 |
| Hope Group | Silver, Copper, Lead | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcocite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.340, -113.275 |
| Philipsburg | Silver, Manganese | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorargyrite, Galena, Gold, Magnetite, Powellite, Psilomelane, Pyrolusite, Scheelite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite, Tremolite | Producer | 46.358, -113.259 |
| Granite - Bimetallic Mine | Gold, Silver | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Proustite, Pyrargyrite, Pyromorphite, Silver, Sphalerite, Tennantite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.316, -113.243 |
| Cadgie Taylor Mine | Silver | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Chlorargyrite | Producer | 46.347, -113.271 |
| Silver Coin Mine | Silver | Argentite, Cerargyrite, Cuprodescloizite, Gold, Stibiconite | Past Producer | 46.613, -112.144 |
| Silver Bow Mine | Copper, Silver | Argentite, Chalcanthite, Chalcocite, Enargite, Silver | Past Producer | 46.014, -112.515 |
| Silver Bullion Mine | Silver | Argentite, Chalcopyrite | Producer | 45.458, -112.089 |
| Southern Cross Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Tennantite, Gold, Azurite | Past Producer | 46.209, -113.233 |
| Monte Cristo Mine | Gold, Copper, Silver | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Gold, Malachite, Silver | Producer | 46.450, -112.265 |
| Jay Gould Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Electrum, Gold, Malachite | Past Producer | 46.880, -112.452 |
| Magna Charta Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Silver, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.011, -112.533 |
| Lexington Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.028, -112.536 |
| Queen of the Hills Mine | Gold, Silver | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Silver | Past Producer | 45.674, -112.954 |
| Springfield Mine | Silver | Argentite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.046, -112.558 |
| Silver Reef Mine | Silver, Lead | Argentite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.172, -113.219 |
| Fraser Placer | Lead, Silver, Copper, Gold | Argentite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Malachite, Pyrargyrite, Silver, Sphalerite, Wulfenite | Prospect | 45.797, -113.034 |
| Birdseye Mine | Lead, Silver | Argentite, Galena | Past Producer | 47.921, -114.573 |
| Goldsmith Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.030, -112.545 |
| Meadow Mine | Zinc, Silver, Lead | Argentite, Galena, Pyrargyrite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.566, -111.967 |
| Liverpool Mine | Silver, Lead | Argentite, Galena, Pyrite | Past Producer | 46.488, -111.993 |
| Ruby Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Gold, Silver | Past Producer | 46.198, -112.435 |
| Aurora Mine | Silver, Copper | Argentite, Silver | Past Producer | 45.723, -112.904 |
| Montana Resources (Butte/Berkely/Continental) | Copper, Silver, Molybdenum | Azurite, Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Covellite, Cuprite, Enargite, Galena, Gold, Molybdenite, Silver, Sphalerite | Producer | 46.020, -112.527 |
| Lannigan Mountain Area | — | Barite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite, Quartz | Occurrence | 47.070, -112.203 |
| Whaley Mining Claims | Barium-Barite, Copper | Barite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite | Occurrence | 46.687, -113.988 |
| Whaley | Barium-Barite, Copper | Barite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Malachite | Occurrence | 46.683, -114.001 |
| Willis Creek Prospect | — | Barite, Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 47.058, -112.171 |
| Bissonette Mine | Copper, Silver | Barite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 46.998, -112.102 |
| Columbia Claim | Gold, Silver, Copper | Barite, Copper, Gold, Silver | Past Producer | 45.917, -112.029 |
| Jung Frau | Copper, Silver | Barite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 45.004, -113.344 |
| Logger Claims Group | Gold, Silver, Beryllium, Molybdenum | Beryl, Gold, Lead, Molybdenite, Silver | Occurrence | 45.863, -113.770 |
| Montreal Star | Gold, Lead, Silver | Bismuth, Bismuthinite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Marcasite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.122, -112.463 |
| Mount Washington Mine | Silver, Copper, Gold, Lead | Bismuth, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.356, -112.144 |
| Fairview Mine | Gold, Silver | Bismuth, Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Silver, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.814, -113.329 |
| Elkhorn | Silver, Gold, Lead, Copper | Bismuthinite, Bournonite, Galena, Magnetite, Pyrite, Sphalerite, Tetradymite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.283, -111.951 |
| Sir Walter Scott Group | Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead | Bismutite, Galena | Past Producer | 45.280, -112.877 |
| Galena Mine | Gold, Silver | Bornite | Past Producer | 45.563, -111.768 |
| Lookout Mine | Gold, Silver, Copper | Bornite | Past Producer | 45.160, -112.977 |
| Noble Mine | Gold, Silver, Copper | Bornite, Cerargyrite, Chalcopyrite, Gold, Malachite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 45.537, -112.109 |
| Modoc Mine | Silver, Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite | Past Producer | 46.025, -112.509 |
| Pacman Claims | Silver, Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 45.444, -113.368 |
Back to Rockhounding in Montana.
How we built this page: we counted named sites in the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for this area, left out sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay pits and unnamed sites, grouped them by Census county, and linked every site to its USGS record. We did not visit these sites, and MRDS does not tell you who owns the land or whether collecting is allowed.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS). USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date. Each site links to its USGS record.
Updated