Program Overview
The Mining Bureau oversees implementation and enforcement of the Montana Metal Mine Reclamation Act. The Act recognizes mining and the production of minerals as activities that are beneficial to the economy of Montana, when conducted in a way that protects the environment from degradation and ensures for proper reclamation of mined land. The Bureau reviews permit and license applications for mining operations ranging from decorative landscaping rock to copper ore to sapphires.
Types of Permits & Licenses
The Mining Bureau has separate programs for hard rock exploration and hard rock mining. Hard rock exploration requires a license to perform drilling and trenching and other activities to determine if an economical mineral resource is present. Hard rock mining can occur under a Small Miner Exclusion Statement (SMES) or under an Operating Permit. Small Miner Exclusion mining has the limitation of not more than five acres of disturbance at any one time. Mining that cannot be limited to five acres of disturbance, can only be done under an Operating Permit. In some circumstances, multiple sites may be permitted under a single Operating Permit.
If you believe you need a permit, applicable forms and instructions can be found by clicking the "Permitting and Operator Assistance" button. Contact us if you have questions or run into problems with any of the information. We're here to help!
Operating Permits
Operating permits are required for hard rock mines that will disturb more than five acres at any one time. The Operating Permit Section of the Mining Bureau is responsible for the review of permit applications for operating permits and for the corresponding inspections of those mines. The Operating Permit Section is also responsible for implementing other portions of the program, such as the review/development of environmental reviews, the review of annual reports, the review of permit revision requests, and the review of amendment applications.
Please be advised that these documents and notices are being posted to the website as a courtesy. The format or content of documents and notices posted may be modified as necessary for website software requirements and protocols. Reliance should not be placed on courtesy notifications in lieu of the statutory notification requirements set forth in the Montana Metal Mine Reclamation Act. Please note that the pending amendments and pending operating permit applications listed below are those that are currently under review by the Mining Bureau.
Exploration Licenses
An Exploration License is required for all mineral exploration activities that may involve surface or subsurface disturbance. The Exploration License is not a mining permit, and cannot be used for mining. Likewise, the Operating Permit (OP) and Small Miner Exclusion Statement (SMES) are intended for “mining” and cannot be used for “exploration.”
Small Miner Exclusions
Small Miner Exclusion Statements are an exclusion from the requirements of an Operating Permit and are generally applicable to operations that disturb less than five acres of land. Bonding and site reclamation is not required, except for placer mining operations. An environmental review of potential impacts is also not required.
Hard Rock Mining Contacts
Hard Rock Operating Permit Contact
Section Supervisor
Eric Dahlgren (406) 444-5245
Hard Rock SMES/Exploration Contact
(406) 444-4953
Program Support Specialist
Jean Correia (406) 444-0988
Pending Amendments
Stillwater Mining Company (Stillwater) East Boulder Mine proposes a major amendment to Operating Permit #000149 for the addition of the Lewis Gulch Tailings Storage Facility (LGTSF) and the Dry Fork Waste Rock Storage Area (DFWRSA). Construction of these facilities will provide Stillwater with the tailings and waste rock storage capacity needed to continue to mine the JM Reef in the near term. A summary of the facilities is provided below, and detailed information is in the attached Amendment 004 Plan of Operations (POO). The LGTSF is proposed to be constructed along the west end of the existing East Boulder tailings storage facility in the general area of the current borrow pit. Infrastructure relocation is proposed for 2028 with lining to the basin mid-point in 2030 and lining to the top in 2033. The proposed LGTSF footprint will encompass 87.81 acres an additional 38.9 acres of disturbance associated with roads and infrastructure will be disturbed resulting in a total of 126.71 acres. The LGTSF is expected to provide storage for 5.8 million cubic yards of material which should provide storage at the current mining rate until 2043 to 2045. The DFWRSA is proposed to be constructed to the north of the current mine site. The proposed DFWRSA footprint will encompass 57.02 acres with an additional associated disturbance of 38.53 for a total of 95.55 acres. Of the 95.55 Acres to be disturbed 45.99 are USFS and 49.56 are privately owned by SMC. The DFWRSA will be built in three stages with construction stages proposed to begin in 2025, 2028, 2035. Infrastructure to support construction of the waste rock facility is expected to be constructed in 2024. Total storage will be 5.4 million cubic yards of waste rock which at the current mining rate should provide waste rock storage until 2036 to 2047. Both facilities will have HDPE lined underdrain collection water management systems.
Please contact Craig Jones DEQ MEPA-MFSA Coordinator for a copy of the application.
Venture Stone LLC (Venture Stone) proposes a major amendment to Hardrock Operating Permit #00189. The proposed amendment would add a new site, Site #14, to the permit. The site is located at Section 10, T05N R21E, approximately 10 miles to the southwest of Lavina in Golden Valley, Montana. After stripping topsoil and overburden, rock would be quarried from the Judith River formation to a maximum depth of 10 feet below current ground surface. Quarrying would be done with an excavator, loader and skidsteer. Approximately 2 to 3 truckloads of product would be hauled offsite during the summer months.
The proposed amendment would increase the size of Venture Stone’s total permit area by 78 acres from 14,063 acres to 14,141 acres. A portion of the proposed area Venture Stone requested be added to the existing permit was mined under a Small Miner Exclusion Statement, SMES No. 53-015.
Stillwater Mining Company (SMC) filed an application with the Department of Environmental Quality for an amendment (Amendment 014) to Hard Rock Mine Operating Permit No. 00118 under the Metal Mine Reclamation Act. SMC currently operates an underground platinum group metals mine at the Stillwater Mine (SWM). The SWM is located at (Latitude N45°23'20.7", Longitude W109°52'33.2"), on County Road 419/Nye Road, approximately 5 miles southwest of Nye in Stillwater County. The facilities at the SWM include a concentrator, the East Side Waste Rock Storage Facility (ESWRSF), the Nye Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) which is currently being capped, and other ancillary facilities that support the operation. Water management facilities and a second TSF, the Hertzler Stage 3 TSF, are located approximately 7 miles northeast of the mine site at the Hertzler Ranch (Latitude N45°27’30.50”, Longitude W109°47’17.99”) on County Road 420/Stillwater River Road.
Amendment 014 would expand the waste rock and tailings storage capacity of the SWM. The ESWRSF is proposed to be expanded to the north and east of the current footprint and increase the permitted height from an elevation of 5,150 feet to 5,350 ft. There would be 48.2 acres of new disturbance associated with the ESWRSF expansion. SMC proposes to increase the permit area at the SWM site by 4.1 acres, from 2424 acres to 2428.1 acres, and increase the permitted disturbance area by 28.0 acres, from 440.8 acres to 468.8 acres. The expansion would be developed in five stages to provide an additional 16.6 million cubic yards of storage and extend the life of the facility to approximately 2065.
SMC proposes to expand tailings storage for the SWM directly west of the existing Hertzler Stage 3 TSF by the sequential construction of two additional storage cells which have been designated as the Stage 4 TSF and Stage 5 TSF. The Stage 4 TSF would provide an additional 11.8 million cubic yards of storage capacity until approximately 2045 and the Stage 5 TSF would provide an additional 12.8 million cubic yards of storage capacity until approximately 2061. A new, lined 200-million-gallon land application disposal treated water storage pond would be constructed west of the existing Stage 3 TSF to facilitate development of the future Stage 4 and Stage 5 TSF. The total disturbance for the expansion at Hertzler Ranch would be 454.5 acres, which includes 94.3 acres of disturbance outside the current permitted for disturbance boundary and 360.2 acres of disturbance within the current permitted for disturbance boundary.
Pending Applications
On July 14, 2020, an application for a Hard Rock Mining Operating Permit was submitted by C3 Limited Liability Company (C3) for a site located in Granite County. C3 filed the application with the Department of Environmental Quality for an operating permit under the Metal Mine Reclamation Act. If approved, the operating permit would authorize a placer mine operation for recovering sapphires. The proposed site is located about 22 miles southwest of Philipsburg, MT in parts of Sections 16, 17, 20, and 21, Township 6 North, Range 16 West, in Granite County for a total permit area of about 412 acres. C3 currently operates in these locations under an Exploration License and Small Mine Exclusion Statement and needs an operating permit due to proposed expansion of the site. C3 proposes to disturb approximately 334 acres over a life of mine of about 66 years. C3 proposes to disturb 20.6 acres in the next 5 years. The site is on private land and would employ up to 4 full and part time employees. C3 sells washed gravel and sapphire concentrate it produces to Cooney’s Sapphire Village Inc. (CSVI). CSVI would employ up to 36 full or part time employees.
Decision Document
Final Environmental Assessment
Draft Environmental Assessment
DEQ received an application for an exploration license from Luke Ployhar on October 4, 2021, to excavate a trench measuring 35 feet long by 10 feet wide by 25 feet deep in order to extract a 125-ton bulk sample for metallurgical testing. The entire proposed project would be located on private land within the former Zortman Mine boundary and disturb about 0.18 acre.
Recent Actions & Approvals
Company & Project Name | Date Published |
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Yellowstone Mine Magris Talc USA, Inc. Operating Permit #00005 Minor Amendment 008 Final Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement |
September 10, 2021 July 31, 2006 December 22, 2004 |
Warren Quarry Big Horn Limestone Company Operating Permit #00008 Amendment for Quarry Expansion Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
February 14, 2007 |
Barretts Mill Barretts Minerals Inc. Operating Permits #00009 Amendment 005 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
April 4, 2007 January 30, 2007 |
Regal Mine Barretts Minerals Inc. Operating Permit #00013 Amendment 006 Record of Decision Final Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
April 20, 2020 March 2020 December 2019 April 4, 2007 January 30, 2007 |
Little Bear Construction, Inc. Drummond Quarry Operating Permit #00022 Amendment 001 Decision Letter Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
May 20, 2021 May 20, 2021 April 13, 2021 |
Montana Resources, LLP Yankee Doodle Tailings Impoundment Operating Permit #00030 & 00030A Amendment 011 Decision Notice Final Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision Final Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement |
July 14, 2022 July 14, 2022 August 30, 2019 August 13, 2019 March 2019 |
Meadow Holdings, LLC Yellow Dog Mine Operating Permit #00044 Amendment 001 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
May 27, 2022 April 13, 2022 |
Schellinger Construction Co. Essex Quarry Operating Permit #00045 Amendment 001 Decision Document Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
December 14, 2020 December 14, 2020 November 9, 2020 |
Golden Sunlight Mines, Inc. Golden Sunlight Mine Operating Permit #00065 Amendment 017 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Final Environmental Impact Statement Record of DecisionAmendment 011 Record of Decision Cover Letter Final Supplemental EIS Draft Supplemental EIS Amendment 012 Environmental Assessment Amendment 013 Cover Letter Draft Environmental Assessment Amendment 014 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Amendment 015 Record of Decision Final EIS Draft EIS Amendment 016 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
August 17, 2007 July 2007 July 2007 December 2004 January 8, 2010 June 4, 2010 N/A November 22, 2010 November 4, 2010 January 9, 2014 December 2013 September 2013 August 2018 October 2018 |
Troy Mine Inc. |
September 2017 January 2018 January 8, 2018 January 8, 2018 September 20, 2012 September 2012 June 2012 N/A June 23, 2011 May 4, 2011 May 2011 |
Indian Creek Mine and Plant Graymont Western US Inc. Operating Permit #00105 Record of Decision Final EIS Draft EIS |
October 2010 June 2010 December 2008 |
Montana Tunnels |
July 24, 2020 July 24, 2020 July 24, 2020 March 5, 2020 October 27, 2008 August 2008 February 2008 |
Nye Stillwater Mining Company Operating Permit #00118 Expanded Checklist Environmental Assessment Record of Decision: Revised Water Management Plan and Boe Ranch LAD Final EIS Draft EIS |
July 22, 2010 August 1, 2012 May 2012 N/A November 2010 N/A N/A |
Kendal Mine CR Kendall Corporation Operating Permit #00122 Cover Letter Final EIS Cover Letter Draft EIS |
April 15, 2016 April 15, 2016 October 8, 2015 September 11, 2015 |
Sibanye Stillwater Mining Company East Boulder Mine Operating Permit #00149 Amendment 003 Decision Document Cover Letter Final Environmental Assessment (with Errata) Draft Environmental Assessment Biological Evaluation Aquatics Biological Evaluation Vegetation Biological Evaluation Wildlife |
September 22, 2020 September 11, 2020 May 15, 2020 |
Pipestone Quarry Pipestone Quarry, LLC Operating Permit #00148 Draft Checklist Environmental Assessment |
March 9, 2015 |
Montanore Mine Montanore Minerals Corp. Operating Permit #00150 Record of Decision Final Environmental Impact Statement Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement |
February 2016 December 2015 September 19, 2011 February 25, 2009 |
Garnet USA Garnet USA, LLC. Operating Permit #00157 Record of Decision Final EIS Cover Letter Draft EIS Draft EIS |
March 2014 N/A February 20, 2014 September 2013 |
Ruby Valley Garnet USA, LLC Operating Permit #00157 Amendment and Partial Bond Release Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
November 21, 2011 May 7, 2015 |
ES Stone & Structure, Inc. |
September 29, 2005 July 12, 2005 June 29, 2006 April 10, 2006 November 23, 2010 October 6, 2010 November 3, 2014 July 6, 2016 July 23, 2021 July 23, 2021 June 8, 2021 |
Big Sky Masonry Stone, Inc. Multiple Quarry Permit Operating Permit #00164 Draft Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
August 25, 2008 September 28, 2005 |
Moonlight Basin Moonlight Basin Ranch, Inc. Operating Permit #00165 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
June 19, 2006 September 29, 2005 |
Bozeman Construction Company dba Bozeman Brick, Block & Tile Multiple Quarry Permit Pending Operating Permit #00166 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
August 7, 2006 June 23, 2006 |
Plum Creek Timberlands, L.P. Multiple Quarry Permit Operating Permit #00167 Record of Decision Final Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement Draft Checklist Environmental Assessment Final EA Poker Hill and Lower Twin Rock Sites |
December 1, 2006 October 24, 2006 April 24, 2006 June 29, 2010 |
Apex Abrasives Apex Abrasives Inc. Operating Permit #00168 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
November 15, 2006 September 7, 2006 |
Bullock Construction Operating Permit - #00169 Draft Environmental Assessment Map |
November 16, 2006 |
Black Hat Quarry Lyle "Bud" Colby Operating Permit #00170 Draft Environmental Assessment Colby Site Map Voise Site Map |
December 18, 2006 N/A N/A |
Tom Gauger Site Tom Gauger Operating Permit #00171 Draft EA for Application of Operating Permit Final CEA Letter |
December 21, 2010 February 2, 2011 |
Golden Dream Project Elkhorn Goldfields, Inc. Operating Permit #00173 Final Environmental Assessment EA Cover Letter Draft Environmental Assessment |
July 21, 2008 N/A April 30, 2008 April 2008 |
North Pit Valley Sand & Gravel, LLC Operating Permit #00174 Final Environmental Assessment Map Cover Letter Draft Environmental Assessment |
January 12, 2009 January 12, 2009 November 13, 2008 November 13, 2008 |
Montana Rockworks, Inc. Multiple Quarry Permits Operating Permit #00175 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
December 28, 2007 April 12, 2007 |
Jesson Rock-N-Ranch Jesson Ranch Management, LLC Operating Permit #00176 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Checklist Environmental Assessment Amendment 001 Draft Checklist Environmental Assessment(CEA) Final Environmental Assessment |
July 11, 2008 April 4, 2008 September 20, 2010 October 20, 2010 |
Butte Highlands Butte Highlands JV, LLC Pending Operating Permit #00178 Draft EIS |
October 2013 |
Shonkinite Quarry Shumaker Trucking and Excavating Contractors, Inc. Operating Permit #00179 Green Coulee Checklist Environmental Assessment Fort Shaw Sites Checklist Environmental Assessment Chinnook Checklist Environmental Assessment |
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Voise Quarry Operating Permit #00180 Draft Environmental Assessment |
April 23, 2019 |
Nickelback Quarry Noble Excavating, Inc. Operating Permit #00182 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
April 16, 2012 March 7, 2012 |
Golden Rule Golden Rule Placer Mining, LLC Operating Permit #00183 Final Checklist Environmental Assessment Draft Checklist Environmental Assessment |
July 2, 2013 May 22, 2013 |
Geyser Mine CRH US Operating Permit #00184 Amendment 002 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
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Block Mountain Slate and Stone, Inc. Multiple Quarry Permit Pending Operating Permit #00185 Draft EA |
May 12, 2016 |
Montana Limestone Resources, LLC Montana Limestone Resources Mine Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment Appendix A Decision Letter |
November 18, 2019 March 6, 2020 April 15, 2020 |
Tintina Montana, Inc. Black Butte Copper Mine Operating Permit #00188 Record of Decision Final Environmental Impact Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement |
April 2020 February 2020 March 11, 2019 |
Venture Stone Venture Stone, LLC Operating Permit #00189 Amendment 001 Decision Letter Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
October 26, 2020 October 26, 2020 August 28, 2020 January 6, 2017 |
Glacier Stone Supply LLC Canyon Creek / Glacier Mountain Sites Operating Permit #00190 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
March 10, 2020 April 17, 2020 |
Overman Western Stone Ibex Quarry Operating Permit #00195 Final Environmental Assessment Environmental Assessment |
September 19, 2019 August 6, 2019 |
Rock Creek Project RC Resources, Inc. Operating Permit #00197 Final Environmental Assessment EA Cover Letter Draft Environmental Assessment EA for a Revised Evaluation Adit Plan Appendix A List of Stipulations EA Figures, Exhibit, and Table |
December 22, 2008 August 13, 2008 July 21, 2008 |
Huppert Brothers Construction, Inc. Huppert Brothers Construction, Inc. Operating Permit #00198 Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
April 8, 2020 February 26, 2020 |
Bullock Contracting, LLC Devil's Elbow Quarry Operating Permit #00199 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment Decision Document |
February 26, 2020 September 21, 2020 |
Potentate Mining, LLC Sapphire Ranch Mine Operating Permit #00200 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
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C3, Limited Liability Company Anaconda Bench Mine Operating Permit #00202 Decision Document Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
August 8, 2022 August 8, 2022 June 15, 2022 |
GCC Trident, LLC Lingshire Quarry Operating Permit #00206 Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
December 7, 2022 January 12, 2023 |
Drumlummon Mine RX Exploration, Inc. Exploration License #00674 Final Checklist Environmental Assessment Response to Public Comments Press Release -Extended Comment Period Draft Environmental Assessment - App. for Partially Dewatering |
March 12, 2009 March 12, 2009 January 23, 2009 January 9, 2009 |
Timberline Resources Corp. Exploration License #00680 Final Checklist Environmental Assessment |
August 18, 2009 |
Ash Grove Cement Company Clark Gulch Shale-Clay Exploration Project Exploration License #00684 Amendment 3 Decision Letter Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Final Environmental Assessment |
April 23, 2021 April 23, 2021 December 9, 2019 February 10, 2020 |
Black Butte Copper Tintina Montana Inc. Exploration License #00710 Amendment to Exploration License Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment Aquifer Pump Test 2014 Cover Letter Aquifer Pump Test Environmental Assessment |
January 14, 2014 July 15, 2013 N/A August 7, 2014 June 30, 2014 |
Lucky Minerals Inc. Emigrant Exploration Exploration License #00795 Decision Letter Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
July, 26, 2017 |
Blue Arc LLC Exploration License #00846 Decision Letter Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
February 1, 2021 February 1, 2021 October 28, 2020 |
Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC Exploration License #00857 Amendment 1 Decision Document Final Environmental Assessment Draft Environmental Assessment |
October 5, 2021 October 4, 2021 July 19, 2021 |
General Quarry Permit Final Supplemental EA Draft Supplemental EA |
March 30, 2004 February 1, 2004 |