U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Active-, inactive-, and abandoned-mine information and selected geochemical data for the State of Montana by Jean L. Ryder * Open-File Report 95-229 Diskette This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. * U. S. Geological Survey, DFC, Box 25046, MS 973, Denver, CO 80225 1995 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 USGS DATABASES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 RASS and PLUTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 MRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 USBOM DATABASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 MILS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 References Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 i INTRODUCTION These digital data files have been compiled from databases maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBOM). The data presented here comprise selected information from each database related to active and inactive mine locations in the state of Montana and may be of use to people involved with environmental efforts. Disclaimers: The USGS assumes no responsibility for possible errors within the data presented herein, or the consequences arising from usage thereof. Although the program LHA.COM ((c)Yoshizaki,1988-91) was used by the USGS to archive these files, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy and functionality of the program and related program material, nor shall the fact of distribution constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in connection therewith. USGS DATABASES The National Geochemical Database is a collection of geochemical information maintained by the USGS, Branch of Geochemistry and consists of three separate databases. The data retrieved here are from the Rock Analysis Storage System (RASS) and PLUTO databases. The Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) database is maintained by the USGS, Branch of Resource Analysis and contains mineral deposit information. RASS and PLUTO The RASS and PLUTO data have been collected over a period of time extending from the present to as far back as the 1930's for the PLUTO data and the 1960's for the RASS data. Scientific methods, instrumentation, and detection levels have changed significantly over this period of time. Thus, researchers are likely to find data from more than one analytical method and reported with more than one lower determination limit for any given element. All of the data are reported in parts per million unless designated as percent. The RASS data files contain approximately 35 elements listed in alphabetical order. They are selected from two sample source categories, each with a letter designation in the computer filename indicating the following sample sources: B = Mine C = Dump or Prospect Pit 1 The PLUTO data files contain up to 80 elements listed in alphabetical order. These are taken from five sample source categories, each with a letter designation included in the computer filename to indicate the following: D = Open Pit Mine or Quarry E = Prospect Pit F = Underground Mine G = Mine Dump H = Mill Product (smelter, tailing) Thus, MT-RAS-B.DBF is a file of Montana data taken from the RASS database containing samples collected from mines in dBase format. MT-PLU-E.DBF is a file of Montana data from the PLUTO database containing samples collected from prospect pits and in dBase format. The various analytical methods used to produce the RASS and PLUTO data are indicated by one or more letters following the element name at the top of each field of data. Atomic absorption spectroscopy is designated by AA. An S could indicate semi-quantitative emission spectrography, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, or any other type of spectroscopy performed in the last 30 years. The semi-quantitative emission spectroscopy results are reported in concentration intervals of 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, 7, or orders of magnitude thereof. Equiv-U was done by gamma count and Inst-Hg was thermally extracted and then run by cold vapor AA. On elements with no analytical method designated, information on the method used is no longer available. The precision of the techniques used permits the use of two significant figures. Due to the formatting used by the computer programs in compiling this data, some of the data reported contain one or more insignificant digits to the right of the significant digits. The RASS and PLUTO data may be reported with a "qualifying" letter attached to the result. These letters indicate the following: N = Not detected at the lower limit of determination. L = Amount detected is less than the lower limit of determination. G = Amount detected is greater than the maximum limit of determination. B = Not analyzed. H = Interference. T = Trace. 2 For information concerning current analytical methods, instrumentation, laboratory procedures, and quality control, see Arbogast, ed. (1990). To obtain further information from the RASS and PLUTO databases, contact the Associate Branch Chief, Branch of Geochemistry, Building 20, Mail Stop 973, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, Telephone (303) 236-1800. MRDS The Mineral Resource Data System data originates not only from USGS studies but also from other federal and state agencies and primarily pertains to mineral commodities. The Montana dataset on this diskette includes information on 3,103 sites. The data included here comprise 54 out of a total of 59 fields and contain name, location, deposit type, mineral age, commodities, products, and tectonics information. Two of the columns list alphameric or numeric codes which are as follows: 20) PROD: L = Large M = Medium S = Small U = Undetermined Y = Yes, there was production, but amount unknown N = No production 21) STATUS: 1 = Occurrence inactive 2 = Prospect inactive 3 = Prospect active 4 = Little devel producer inactive 5 = Little devel producer active 6 = Developed producer inactive 7 = Developed producer active 8 = Intermittent producer For further information concerning these data, contact the Minerals Information Office, Branch of Resource Analysis, Building 20, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, Telephone (303) 236-5704. USBOM DATABASE The Minerals Availability System (MAS) Database is non-proprietary data maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The Minerals Industry Location System (MILS) data is a subset of that database and was used for this report. 3 MILS The Minerals Industry Location Systems database provides information on locations of mines, their operational status, and information about the minerals at those locations. The Montana MILS data set contains nearly 7,500 sites with 64 fields of data. The data on this diskette includes only the fields consisting of sequence number, name of deposit, deposit type, current status, location, and point of reference for all 7,490 sites. The column listed as Sequence Number is composed of ten digits as indicated below: Digits: 1-3 refer to the state code (030 for Montana) 4-6 refer to the county/province code used by the Department of Commerce 7-10 designate a unique deposit reference number assigned to each deposit within the state and county Point of location is the point from which the latitude and longitude were determined. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Minerals Availability System (MAS) Data Base Administrator, Branch of Data Administration, Division of Statistics and Information Services, Bureau of Mines, Building 20, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, Telephone (303) 236-5204. Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank Baiba Barr and Mary Berger from the USGS and David Buckingham from the Bureau of Mines for their invaluable assistance in providing data retrievals. References Cited Arbogast, B.F., ed., 1990, Quality assurance manual for the Branch of Geochemistry, U.S. Geological Survey: U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report, 90-668, 184 p. LHA version 2.12, Copyright (c) Haruyasu Yoshizaki, 1988-91, A High-Performance File-Compression Program, 3/21/91. 4