According to 
Analysis Bureau 
the Research and of the Montana 
 
Mineral 
 
1990 
 
1991 
1992 
 
 
. 
Quantity 
Value 
(thousands) 
. 
Quantity 
Value (thousands) 
. 
Quantity 
Value 
(thousands) 
Clays metrictons 
~29,741 NA 
13,012 
5,930 
1,810 
5,114 
220 
4,000 
430,125 
W 
2s193 
3,692 
161,861 
21,735 
27,176 
14,319 
34,1 14 
l5,300 
18,883 
W 
362,635 NA 
rl3,7l5 
 
6,050 
 
 
1,730 
 
 
4,800 
 
 
222 
 
2,107 
 
 
W 
 
W 
$11,332 
 
 
2,796 
 
~16o,197 
 
16,923 
 
20,635 
 
' 13,700 
 
28,893 
 
5,725 
 
W 
 
W 
235,368 NA 
 
13,994 
 
6,470 
 
1,840 
 
11,109 
 
197 
 
' 2,200 
 
407,657 
 
20,588 
2101 
 
674 
 
155,210 
 
18,097 
 
21,060 
 
31,375 
 
24,990 
 
"6,200 
 
16,162 
 
26,498 
Gemstones 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gold' kilograms 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Palladium metal do. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Platinummetal do. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sand and gravel (construction) thousand short tons 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Silver' metric tons 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stone (crushed) thousand short tons 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Talc and pyrophyllite metric tons 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zinc' do. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Combined value of barite, cement, clays 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[bentonite (1990, 1992)], copper, iron ore 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(usable), lead, lime, molybdenum, peat, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
phosphate rock, sand and gravel (industrial), 
 
 
 
 
 
 
stone (dimension), vermiculite, and values 
 
 
 
 
 
 
indicated by symbol W 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
xx 
238,787 
xx 
539,154 
xx Not applicable. 
 
MONTANA—1992  321THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF MONTANA 
 
This chapter has been prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding between
the U.S. Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Montana
Bureau of Mines and Geology for collecting information on all nonfuel minerals.

 
 
By R. J. Minarikt and R. B. McCulloch2 
 
 
 Montana's 1992 nonfuel mineral production value was $539.2 million, a slight
increase from that of 1991, according to the U.S. Bureau of Mines. 
Increases in the production value of lime, construction sand and gravel,
and zinc more than offset the decrease in values of copper, gold, molybdenum,
and silver. 
 Metallic minerals—copper, gold, iron ore, lead, molybdenum, platinum-group
metals, silver, and zinc—accounted for 76 % of Montana's total
nonfuel
mineral production value. The State ranked 20th nationally in value compared
with 17th in 1991. Montana was the Nation's sole producer of platinum-group
metals; it 
ranked first in talc production; third in barite, bentonite, and vermiculite;
fourth in the output of copper, lead, and silver; and fifth in gold, phosphate
rock, and zinc production. 
 
TRENDS AND 
DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 Overall, metal mining activity remained relatively strong; the only significant
drop in quantity produced was reported for molybdenum. On the other hand,
prices for many of the metallic minerals produced in Montana remained depressed.
In 1992, gold was the leading 
 
 
TABLE 1 
metal produced in terms of value, followed in order by copper, platinumgroup
metals, zinc, and silver. 
A variety of industrial minerals was 
produced in the State. Their total production value increased more than 24%
from that of 1991. In 1992, portland cement was the leading industrial mineral
produced in terms of value, followed in order by construction sand and gravel,
lime, and talc. 
EMPLOYMENT 
NONFUEL MINERAL PRODUCTION IN MONTANA1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 xx ' 276,021 XX 274,082 
 xx 1573,294 xx 1534,283 
 
"Estimated. ' Revised. NA Not available. W WIthIIekI to avoid disclosing
companyproprietaiydata; value inCludedWith ~COInbinCd value' data. ' Productionas
measured by mine shipments, sales, or inaitetableproduction(including consumptionby
producers). 
2Excludes certain clays; kind and value included with ' Combined value' figure.

 
' Recoverable content of ores, etc.