RockWoofCheck access before you go. Most sites listed here are old mines, quarries or prospects, and many are on private land or active mining claims. Get the landowner's permission, check the rules of the agency that manages any public land, and never enter mine workings. Locations are approximate.
Found alongside
Galena
Mohs 2.5–2.75. Heavy, silvery lead ore that breaks into cubes. Mindat
773 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
693 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
562 sites
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
530 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
488 sites
Copper
Mohs 2.5–3. Native copper is soft and turns green as it weathers. Mindat
465 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
By county
Jefferson County (161) · Lewis and Clark County (89) · Powell County (72) · Granite County (67) · Madison County (56) · Beaverhead County (51) · Silver Bow County (45) · Broadwater County (40) · Mineral County (37) · Cascade County (28) · Sanders County (22) · Lincoln County (21) · Park County (16) · Missoula County (15) · Deer Lodge County (15) · Meagher County (13) · Judith Basin County (5) · Flathead County (5) · Fergus County (4) · Ravalli County (3) · Sweet Grass County (2) · Gallatin County (2) · Chouteau County (1) · Blaine County (1) · Lake County (1) · Stillwater 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 |
| 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 |
| Nick Preen Mine | Silver, Copper, Lead | Anglesite, Galena | Occurrence | 45.315, -113.033 |
| White Cap Mine | Silver | Anglesite, Galena | Past Producer | 45.847, -113.168 |
| Silver Tip Mine | Silver, Lead | Anglesite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.368, -112.008 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Alice Mine | Silver, Gold, Zinc, Lead | Argentite, Galena, Gold, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Silver, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.033, -112.537 |
| Goldsmith Mine | Silver, Gold | Argentite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.030, -112.545 |
| Lone Eagle Quartz Mine | Uranium | Argentite, Galena, Pitchblende, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.408, -112.158 |
| 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 |
| Republic Mines | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Argentite, Galena, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Producer | 45.005, -109.932 |
| 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 |
| Bissonette Mine | Copper, Silver | Barite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tennantite | Past Producer | 46.998, -112.102 |
| Packer Creek Barite Deposit | — | Barite, Galena | Occurrence | 47.432, -115.519 |
| Elk Creek Barite Mine | Barium-Barite | Barite, Galena, Sphalerite | Producer | 46.885, -113.373 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Cable Mine | Gold, Silver, Tungsten, Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Marcasite | Past Producer | 46.200, -113.217 |
| Cape Nome Mine | Copper, Silver | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Enargite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.789, -113.654 |
| Park Mine | Silver, Copper, Zinc, Gold | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 45.483, -113.048 |
| Troy | Silver, Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Silver, Covellite, Galena | Producer | 48.229, -115.905 |
| Rock Creek Project | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Silver, Covellite, Tetrahedrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Pyrite | Plant | 48.079, -115.678 |
| Parnell Mine | Silver | Bornite, Chalcocite, Covellite, Enargite, Galena, Gold | Past Producer | 46.020, -112.522 |
| Montanore | Copper | Bornite, Chalcocite, Covellite, Pyrite, Chalcopyrite, Silver, Digenite, Galena, Pyrrhotite | Plant | 48.075, -115.644 |
| Little Mina | Silver | Bornite, Chalcocite, Enargite, Galena, Huebnerite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.020, -112.529 |
| Sheldon Mine | — | Bornite, Chalcopyrite | Occurrence | 46.776, -114.345 |
| Golden Leaf Group (Bannack) | Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Chrysocolla, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Melaconite, Silver, Smithsonite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 45.155, -112.986 |
| Jahnke Mine | Silver, Lead, Copper | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Copper, Cuprite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Scheelite | Past Producer | 45.189, -113.588 |
| Sunrise Mine | Gold, Silver, Copper | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Galena, Scheelite | Past Producer | 46.485, -113.329 |
| Schmidt Prospect | Silver, Lead, Copper, Gold | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Cuprite, Galena, Sphalerite, Wulfenite | Past Producer | 45.568, -112.162 |
| Anselmo Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Enargite, Galena, Gold, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 46.017, -112.548 |
| Deerlodge Basin Prospect | Copper, Lead, Silver | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena | Occurrence | 46.395, -113.081 |
| Montanore | Copper, Silver | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena | Prospect | 48.075, -115.644 |
| Bismark Mine | Gold, Copper, Molybdenum, Lead, Zinc | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Gold, Molybdenite, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 45.612, -112.047 |
| Silver King Mine | Silver, Lead | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 47.613, -115.187 |
| Vermilion Mine | Silver, Lead, Zinc | Bornite, Chalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 47.914, -115.461 |
| Blue Bird Mine | Gold, Silver | Bornite, Galena, Gold, Malachite, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 46.359, -112.167 |
| Frisbie Mine | Gold | Bornite, Galena, Pyrite, Sphalerite | Occurrence | 45.493, -111.949 |
| Kidd Mine | Gold | Bornite, Galena, Sphalerite | Past Producer | 45.490, -111.943 |
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