Lincoln county, the new mill of the Snowstorm Mines Co. was producing both lead 

 and zinc concentrate in 1917 and marketed considerable quantities of both products. 

 The Valley Forge mine, in Lewis and Clark county, shipped much lead ore to East 

 Helena for concentration. 



Manganese a New Product. 



One of the most important metals to be contributed by Montana for war work, 

 and a new product here, is manganese. This metal, of so much importance to the 

 country, could not be obtained in sufficient quantities to meet the needs. A large 

 part of the supply of the country had formerly been imported but these imports had 

 been cut off by the war. An intensive search of this country followed, and the 

 discovery made that manganese in large and paying quantities existed at both 

 Butte and Philipsburg, in this state. Production immediately began and has proven 

 to be very important. There were 57,178 tons of manganese ore containing 40 per 

 cent or more manganese, produced in Montana in 1917 and G.174 tons of ore con- 

 taining from 15 to 40 per cent manganese. This constituted a very large percentage 

 of the total production in the United States. 



Montana will ship as much high grade manganese in 1918 as all of the other 

 states put together. The estimate of the United States Geological Survey for 1918 

 is 118,800 tons of manganese ore containing 40 per cent or more manganese and 

 99,000 tons of ore containing from 15 to 40 per cent manganese. Most of the high 

 grade ore comes from the Philipsburg district and the other ore from Butte. 



Chromite and Molybdenite. 



During the winter of 1917, through the work in war minerals there was dis- 

 covered in Montana, one of the largest chromite desposits in the United States. 

 The chromite deposit is in the shape of a vein whose depth is almost vertical. 

 It is about four feet wide, with two feet of solid chromite, which runs almost 50 

 per cent in chromic oxide. It was traced across the country for three-fourths of a 

 mile. At present chromite is being sought after by the steel manufacturers and 

 it is hard to get. In 1914 chromite sold for $9.75 per ton. It is now selling for 

 about $75 per ton, if the chromium oxide is as high as 50 per cent. Most of the 

 chromite of the United States comes from California, but before the war it came 

 principally from foreign countries. 



There are many localities in Montana where molybdenite is found. Most of 

 these deposits will probably be commercial products in the near future. 



Coal Mined Extensively. 



Coal mining in the state is important, there being twelve or fifteen large mines 

 and about forty smaller ones. Some of these mines have been used on a commercial 

 scale for many years, while from others only enough is taken to supply the needs 

 of nearby farmers. 



In Carbon, Musselshell and Cascade counties, coal mining has developed into 

 an important industry and not only supplies employment for a large number of 

 men but also provides a market for farm products. There are many other coal 

 deposits throughout the state which will undoubtedly be operated as soon as suitable 

 transportation facilities are available. 



A good deal of coal is being mined on state land, which is leased from the 

 state, the funds going into the school fund. This is rapidly increasing and will in 

 the future, furnish an important item for this purpose. 



Mines of lignite underlie the eastern part of the state. These are easily reached 

 and furnish fuel to the farmers there at a cheap rate. 



