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PhotosCopper - Butte District, Silver Bow Co., Montana, USA

14th Aug 2013 03:14 UTCKarl Volkman Expert

Butte Mining District (Summit Valley Mining District), Silver Bow County, Montana, USA

While it is copper, I would actually not have it categorized as a mineral specimen, rather I think it should be as an "other" picture due to the anthropogenic origin of the specimen,

14th Aug 2013 15:31 UTCWilliam C. van Laer Expert

It should be as you said....since it is not a natural mineral specimen!

Chris

14th Aug 2013 16:25 UTCDaniel J. Evanich 🌟 Expert

While on the subject of natural copper from The Butte District, it's well known that native copper specimens are exceedingly rare from here. Other than the Butte and Duluth Mine (Bullwhacker), what other specific mines in the District produced any notable natural copper specimens?

14th Aug 2013 16:43 UTCChester S. Lemanski, Jr.

Thanks Karl! It is now corrected.

Chet

14th Aug 2013 19:49 UTCWilliam C. van Laer Expert

Daniel:

I know of no other mine in Butte that has produced native copper, nor has there been anything qualifying as "notable". One source claimed that drill cores accomplished by the Anaconda company hit layer(s) of native copper, but I cannot back this up, no date either.

Chris

14th Aug 2013 22:09 UTCKarl Volkman Expert

The few native copper specimens that I have posted pictures of from Butte were purchased from Duane Johnson who collected them many years ago as I understand it, and he had them simply labeled as Butte, Montana.

14th Aug 2013 22:58 UTCFrancis X Dzubeck

Chris & Karl:

I worked in Butte (not in the mining industry) on and off during the late 1970's and early 1980's. During the latter portion of the time I was in Butte there was a find of native Copper at the Continental Pit. This was in the early stages of mining of the pit. Bulk mining of porphyry style mineralization occurred at in the Continental pit beginning in January 1980

to supplement copper production while stripping “C” pushback occurred in the Berkeley pit. Native Copper specimens began to appear in small quantity at the local Rock Shops in Butte. They were mostly crude pieces of seam fillings but every now and again a crystalline or crude octahedral crystal mass in the form of leafs was found in matrix. I purchased what was told to me was the best and largest in matrix found at that time from Koop's Minerals a well known respected ex-miner dealer in Butte. On my next visit to Butte, a few months latter, no native Copper specimens were found and it was told to me that it was a one time occurrence in the Open Pit mining. Other excellent specimens of Azurite, Malachite, Cuprite, Chrysocolla and even Pseudomalachite (not listed in Mindat) also occurred at this time from the small oxidation zone of the mine. Most of the shops labeled the specimens only as from Butte to hide the locality from which the miners removed the specimens. But since I had a significant buying relationship with the Koop's and was from "back east" I was told the name of the locality.

Frank

14th Aug 2013 23:47 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert

I have several native copper specimens from different mines in Butte. I even have a piece of a wood timber that is replaced by native copper.

For the sake of argument only and to stimulate some discussion and debate: the copper wires are a natural specimen, the slag isn't?

15th Aug 2013 00:06 UTCKarl Volkman Expert

The slag is notably anthropomorphic, where as the wood replacement is a bit more debatable as the only thing which happened was wood being placed into copper rich solution, such as could have happened on a surface outcrop

15th Aug 2013 00:29 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert

Karl,

I understand the wood replacement. I was saying for the sake of argument on the slag/copper you asked to have moved to "other". I understand you point on that as well. I am not upset or arguing about it. I am just trying to get a discussion going on it. I have seen lots of slag minerals uploaded as minerals and when I asked about this one, it was suggested I do mineral and let someone say do to it differently.

15th Aug 2013 17:19 UTCDaniel J. Evanich 🌟 Expert

Thank you, Francis (Frank), for your recollection of mining activities in the Contintental Pit back in the 70's. It helps support the information given to me regarding both native copper and azurite specimens I received from another Butte rock shop operator during that same time period.

Dan

15th Aug 2013 21:24 UTCFrancis X Dzubeck

Dan:

I assume you are talking about the older Johnson or his son of Trevillion Johnson Monument Services (Aka: Minerals in 1970-80's). I also bought numerous specimens from the father during that time period. David New was a dealer that traded Bisbee Azurites by the flat to him for Butte specimens. All of those Azurites were labeled Bisbee not Butte. Therefore, if you bought an Azurite from Butte from his shop it was from Butte.

in the 1970's before the opening of the Continental pit the Copper specimens from Butte in the shops were from the Berkley pit. They were from an extension area over the old Anaconda Mine. This area produced native Copper specimens like the ones seen on Mindat labeled Anaconda Mine (octo xtls coated in Malachite) and the crystalline leaf labeled as Butte. They were quite prevalent at that time but again also disappeared quickly. At that time and since I have never seen a specimen from the West Colusa Mine for sale as shown on Mindat.

FYI, Johnson purchased his Butte specimens from the miners (as did Koop) or their widows (remember he was also in the Monument business). He did keep the finer ones in his desk and pulled them out only after he got to know you as a real buyer. But very best and most artistic went into his personal collection. Another interesting fact, at Tucson this year I was speaking to Gene Schlep of Western Minerals about a specimen in his display when he told me a story. The story was that he and his wife made a trip to Butte and stayed at a B&B in the town. Upon entering the home he spied a major Butte Mineral collection on display. Upon asking the owners of the B&B as to its provenience they were informed that the Johnson's owned the B&B and that the collection was his father's. His father had passed away and his home was turned into a B&B. Gene asked if the specimens were for sale but was informed not at this time. Gene later received a call from Johnson and he went back to Butte and purchased the specimens. Gene then dispersed them through Western Minerals. This was the real source of some of the great Butte specimens with accurate mine labels in the marketplace.

Frank

16th Aug 2013 23:12 UTCDaniel J. Evanich 🌟 Expert

Frank;

I have seen several of the outstanding Butte specimens that Gene Schlep has offered recently in his inventory, possibly from the same collection you mentioned. About three Tucson's ago, I picked up an unusual Butte specimen of rhodochrosite with psilomelane and manganite from Gene with an Erwin Goetz label (see photo). Have you (or any others) seen a similar specimen from Butte, and if so, do you know the mine it may have come from? The only notation I find in Mindat for this combination of species from Butte is the Czarina Mine, but no images.

Dan

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