Show molybdenum W aw IN MONTANA MONTAN 4 4 dillon tribune one of the most important discoveries made in the way of minerals in this part of montana for some time was made it in the 9 birch creek mining belt last week when molybdenum was found in quantities that would indicate the presence of a large lare amount of it there the discovery was on the upper lake in birch creek a distance of about thirty five miles from dillon and locations were made by tony french and james mckay and others molybdenum is a very rare metal which in in a state of purity is of a silvery color has a strong metallic luster is brittle and very difficult of fusion for the reason that it is very difficult of fusion it is greatly sought after and used in the manufacture of steel it never occurs native and its principal ore is which much resembles graphite it is occasionally found oxidized in of lead the mineral is never found in a regular well defined vein but occurs in pockets when discovered on birch creek the indications are that it exists there in pay paying ng quantities L D graeter is interested in the prospect and last week he went up there and was absent all week on business in connection with it quite a little development work has been done and more is in progress mr graeter says that he has known it to be mined in the state of washington in places inaccessible for wagon or railroad and packed out on burros to be shipped to st louis for concentration the scientific if e american reports it worth 2 a pound because of its scarcity and aad its value in tho the mar m of steel ar accounts counts for its high price there are orly three or four places in the united states where it is loibl wall mined A iro movement is ht already on foot in ill dillon to lo 10 organize a company to develop the mine and alid erect a concentrator and to tio do tile the concentrating cent rating at be mine it happened that on tuesday a gentleman named edwards dropped into dillon he was representing a pittsburg steel firm and is in this part of the country looking for molybdenum for his firm mr greater had a consultation with him tuesday and reports that it is likely a ready sale can be found with the firm that mr edwards represents for all the molybdenum that might be produced here the indications are that a company will be organized in the near future the mines developed a concentrator erected and more laurels added to the reau reputation which birch creek is getting for its mineral deposits |