Drumlummon - Montana
View the NI43-101 technical report on the Drumlummon project.
Location & Background
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The Drumlummon Mine Project is located at Marysville, Montana, about 25 miles west of the Montana state capital, Helena.
Financed by the Rothschilds’ in the late 1800’s the Drumlummon Mine proved to be one of the largest producers of gold and silver in the western United States. It is reported to have produced $29,000,000 of gold and silver at historical prices, primarily between 1883 and 1910.
The Drumlummon was shut down in 1910 and flooded at the deeper levels when the operators lost a court case alleging they had mined onto the neighbors’ adjacent property. It was shown that the main Drumlummon vein had strayed over to the neighbors’ property for a distance of 160 feet and the Drumlummon operators had mined that section without an agreement with the adjacent neighbor.
The Drumlummon court case went on for 20 years, including 5 appeals to the Montana and US Supreme Courts by the Drumlummon operators which they ultimately lost. At the final appeal to the US Supreme Court in 1910 there were 12 lawyers present and the cumulative legal costs are reported to have been in excess of $400,000 (early century US dollars).
The neighboring company (St. Louis Company) then gained control of the Drumlummon but lacking mining expertise and wherewithal, never mined the deposit and leased it out to tributors. In a period between 1923 and 1929 it is reported that 90,995 tons were mined in this fashion. Another 68,662 tons is reported to have been mined between 1941 and 1951 before that operator’s mill burned down.
The majority of production from the Drumlummon is reported to have come from the shallower levels. The Drumlummon is developed at the 800 foot and 1,600 foot levels with 2 shafts. Substantial areas of the mine at depth have remained flooded since 1910 and effectively have been “out of bounds” since that time for exploration.
In 2007 and 2008 RX Exploration rehabilitated the 400 foot level in preparation for underground diamond drilling during 2008.
Ownership & Ground Positions
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RX Exploration has consolidated the Drumlummon mine claims, the former neighbors claims (St. Louis Company) and additional claims along strike.
RX Exploration currently holds 26 contiguous, surveyed patented mineral claims (approx. 290 acres) covering all of the former Drumlummon workings as well as the former neighbor’s property (St. Louis Company) that were subject to the early 1900’s lawsuit. An additional 68 unpatented contiguous claims have been staked by the company along strike covering approx. 1,390 acres.
RX Exploration holds a 100% interest in the 26 patented Drumlummon claims subject to making payments totaling $1.2 million over 5 years and a 2% NSR. That agreement was entered into during 2006 and RX Exploration is current with the commitment. The 1,390 acres of unpatented claims along strike are 100% owned by the company.
General Geology & Mineralization
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“The Drumlummon mine is of the “bonanza” – type epithermal deposits which are very young and low temperature in origin and which can produce high grades over large widths.”
“The Drumlummon mineralization is associated with the Marysville stock, a younger Tertiary quartz diorite intruding late Precambrian shales and limestone. A metamorphic halo hornsfels on the east side of the stock provides a host for extensive fault structures which host the precious metal-bearing quartz fissure veins.”
Work Programs
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During 2007 and 2008, RX Exploration rehabilitated the 400 foot level of the Drumlummon in preparation for a minimum 20,000 foot underground diamond drilling program to commence in March, 2008.