Project Case Study: Montana
The Linton Mine and Millsite is located on predominantly public land but has impacted private lands below the site along Cramer Creek. The site is 15 acres and was a lead zinc mine that operated between 1947 and 1953. No responsible parties were identified to help reclaim the mine. The private land owners below the site cooperated in the reclamation.
Approximately 130,000 cubic yards of mine waste that contained high concentrations of arsenic and lead were moved to backfill the mine openings and were placed in a mine waste repository several miles from the site. The mine waste was dumped directly adjacent to the creek eroded and contaminated the creek for several hundred yards downstream.
Cramer Creek is a tributary to the Clark Fork River which contains significant bull trout habitat. BLM funded the project with Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation funds.
For more information on our Montana AML sites, please visit the BLM Montana State Office AML Web site or the Montana AML Strategic Plan.
Montana Case Study: Linton Mine and Millsite
Location
The Linton is located on Cramer Creek, a tributary to the Clark Fork River in west central Montana. The mine and millsite is approximately 35 miles east of Missoula in the Garnet range.
Type of Site
The Linton impacted water quality in Cramer Creek and had six hazardous mine openings.
$1,600,000
Start Date
Studies to evaluate the site began in 2001. Reclamation was completed in 2004.
