Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 1 82 stead, Hopkins and Lauri assayed and ran ore from other local mines through the ball mill, keeping their operation afloat into the early 1970s. The assay building, with some of its chemistry apparatus still intact, is always an interesting stop for Charter Oak visitors. By the 1980s, mining activity at Charter Oak had all but ceased. After purchasing the operation from Hank Lauri, the last mine owners' ambitious plan to leach gold and silver from the tailings piles ended abruptly with the discovery of Charter Oak mill tailings drifting lethally downstream. Fac- ing liability and an expensive mine cleanup bill, the owners gave up their unpatented mining claim and quit-claimed their buildings and older mining equipment to the U.S. government for future historical interpretation. Ultimately, market forces, globalization, open-pit min- ing, and environmental regulations conspired against most underground mining and milling operations in southwestern Montana. At Charter Oak and other small-sized mines in the Little Blackfeet River Valley, spotty low-grade ores, perpetually slender operating margins, technological change, and the ebb and flow of family life further contributed to their demise. Despite Montana's extensive mining history, surprising- ly few historic lode mines today are accessible or safe for public visitation. Charter Oak is a rare exception. The U.S. Forest Service provides guided tours on summer weekends. Schoolchildren visit Charter Oak as part of their history and environmental curricula. The never-ending repair and stabili- zation projects—mines were never meant to last—frequently involve Forest Service Passport in Time program volunteers. The Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest can be contacted for tour schedules and volunteer opportunities. Today, looking over the vintage Charter Oak mine from the sturdy public viewing deck atop the mill building, visi- tors are reminded of the essential role that Montana miners played in supplying the U.S. military with the strategic materials necessary to win a fierce global war. A snapshot of the scenic mine setting with a smartphone, made of some 30 common and rare elements, also reminds us of the diversity of precious and base metals which American and global society continue to heavily depend on today. 334 Town Center Avenue 406-995-6995 BigSkyMedicalCenter.com 334 Town Center Avenue 406-995-6995 | BigSkyMedicalCenter.com NONSTOP HEALTH CARE UNDER THE BIG SKY Emergency Department 24/7/365 Family Medicine Pharmacy Lab Services Ultrasound and Imaging VISITORS ARE REMINDED OF THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT MONTANA MINERS PLAYED IN SUPPLYING THE U.S. MILITARY WITH THE STRATEGIC MATERIALS NECESSARY TO WIN A FIERCE GLOBAL WAR.

• Cover