The Highlander
(Lode/Placer )
(40 acres)
Jefferson County, Montana
$47,000
Under Contract
(Lode/Placer )
(40 acres)
Jefferson County, Montana
$47,000
Under Contract
• Size: Primary Commodities: Gold and Gemstones ( Sapphire)
• Secondary Commodities: Silver
• Size: 40 acres
• Claim designation: un-patented Lode/Placer
• Location: Jefferson County, Montana
• Secondary Commodities: Silver
• Size: 40 acres
• Claim designation: un-patented Lode/Placer
• Location: Jefferson County, Montana
The Highlander Mine is a largely undocumented mineral property located within the Beaver Gulch Mining District of Montana. The property is distinguished by high-grade lode and placer gold mineralization, documented occurrences of multi-colored sapphires, and the presence of a substantial two-story historic miner’s cabin.
Property Overview and Workings:
Primary areas of interest include exposed bedrock and placer gravels along Bison Creek, as well as two unrecorded hard-rock adits driven into a lightly mineralized quartz stringer vein.
The dual hard-rock adits are situated near the creek-side margin of the property and are driven into a prominent mineralized rock outcrop. The main portal measures approximately 6 feet in height and 3.5 feet in width and is secured with original iron bat-style gates.
- Adit No. 1 extends approximately 30 feet into the hillside and represents a prospect-level working. Sampling of underground vein material has yielded free-milling gold.
- Adit No. 2 is notably longer and may contain a second level; however, access has not yet been established due to the gated entrance.
Lode Mineralization:
The lode system consists of a northeast-to-northwest trending quartz vein with secondary stringers hosted within granitic country rock. Mineralized strike widths range from approximately 6 inches to 2.5 feet. The veins contain auriferous pyrite, free gold, galena, and sphalerite.
- Estimated gold values range from 0.33 to 1.5 ounces per ton (opt)
- Estimated silver values range from 7.5 to 20 opt
- Additional lode estimates suggest 0.89 to 2.1 opt gold and 3.5 to 12 opt silver
Placer gold and sapphire deposits are present within the gravel beds and bedrock crevices of Bison Creek. The creek averages 15 to 25 feet in width and ranges from approximately 0.5 to 3 feet in depth, making it well-suited for recreational and small-scale placer operations including panning, sluicing, and dredging.
Placer gold values are estimated at 0.75 to 1.5 grams per cubic yard of gravel. Surveyors have also recovered multi-colored sapphires including pink, blue, yellow, green, and translucent varieties from the waterway.
A small wooden footbridge provides access across the creek from the primary staging area.
History: A unique cabin-style bunkhouse is located on the northern portion of the property. Although currently in a state of disrepair, the structure is remarkably well preserved given its age and remote setting. Constructed on diorite slab foundations, the cabin may have originally supported nearby rail-tunnel operations and was later repurposed for post-World War II lode mining activities. Historical evidence suggests the cabin was once equipped with electricity and plumbing, including a full kitchen.
Additional improvements on the claim include a small shed or outhouse structure and a wooden bridge spanning the creek.
Notably, prior to the company’s discovery in 2021, the Highlander Mine does not appear on any known maps, mining records, or historical dockets.
Historical Context – Beaver Gulch Mining District:
Mining activity in the Beaver Gulch Mining District dates to 1897. On January 1, 1898, the first sack of ore from the district was delivered to Helena’s Chief of Police, who also served as manager of the Beaver Town Mining Association. This Helena-based company developed a galena-lead quartz vein containing gold, silver, and copper values.
The Beaver Town Mining Association, led by President John O’Connell and Manager John J. Grogan, included a diverse group of shareholders and developed a tunnel on the Newport Claim in 1898. Additional mining efforts in the district, such as the Butte and Elk Park Extension, saw limited production of silver, lead, and copper during the early twentieth century, with documented activity in 1919 and 1926.
Access:
The property is accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles and most high-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles. The existing dirt access road is in good to fair condition.
The Highlander Mine represents an exceptional opportunity for the entry-level enthusiast or established mining company seeking a historically significant property with both lode and placer potential in a proven Montana mining district.
