5340 EXCHANGES

MISSOULA, NINEMILE, PLAINS/THOMPSON FALLS, SEELEY LAKE, AND SUPERIOR RANGER DISTRICTS

MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION LAND EXCHANGE

MTM 92893

MINERAL POTENTIAL REPORT

Minerals Examiner:

______Norman B. Smyers, Geologist-Lolo and Flathead National Forests

______Date

Regional Office Review:

______Michael J. Burnside, Northern Region Certified Review Mineral Examiner

______Date

Abstract-DNRC/Lolo NF Land Exchange Mineral Report: Page A-1

ABSTRACT

The non-federal and federal lands involved in the proposed Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Land Exchange are located across and within the exterior boundaries of the lands administered by the Lolo National Forest. The proposed land exchange includes approximately 12,123 acres of non-federal land and 10,150 acres of federal land located in six counties--Granite, Lincoln, Missoula, Mineral, Powell, and Sanders.

For the Federal government, the purpose of the exchange is to improve land ownership patterns for more efficient and effective lands management by: reducing the need to locate landline and survey corners; reducing the need for issuing special-use and right-of-way authorizations; and facilitating the implementation of landscape level big game winter range vegetative treatments.

With the exception of one DNRC parcel and six Federal parcels, the mineral estates of the parcels involved in the proposed land exchange are owned by either the State of Montana or the U.S. Government and can be conveyed with the corresponding surface estates. The exceptions are: the DNRC Sunrise parcel; and, for the U.S. Government, the Graham Mountain 2,Graham Mountain 10, Fourmile 10, St. Regis Beacon 28, South DeBorgia 25, and South DeBorgia 36 parcels.

The surficial geology of the subject lands consists chiefly of various metasedimentary rocks of the Belt Supergroup. The Belt Supergroup is an accumulation of more than 40,000 feet of Precambrian sediments –clay, silt, , limestone and dolomite—that has been lightly- to moderately- metamorphosed to form argillite, quartzite, and low-grade slate and marble. In some areas, the surficial geology is comprised of Pleistocene glacial deposits--till, and glacial fluvial silts, clays, and floods gravels. In several areas, Quaternary alluvial deposits overlay and mask the underlying bedrock units.

With the exception of the Butler Creek parcel in the Ninemile/Frenchtown Group-Area and several parcels within the Superior North & West Group Area, I conclude that the hardrock (locatable) mineral occurrence potential and development potential of the other parcels in the proposed DNRC/Lolo National Forest Land Exchange is low to very low. I found the hardrock mineral occurrence and development potentials for the Butler Creek parcel (DNRC) to be low to moderate. Within the Superior North & West Group Area, the hardrock mineral occurrence potential for many of the parcels ranges between low to high, with the potential of the majority of the parcels within this group-area being moderate. Similarly, the hardrock mineral development potential for many of the parcels ranges between low to moderate, with the average potential being moderate.

Abstract-DNRC/Lolo NF Land Exchange Mineral Report: Page A-2

Based on my analysis of the current and near-future metallic mineral market, as well as the finding of my field investigations, and for the purposes of the proposed DNRC/Lolo National Forest Land Exchange, I do not believe the hardrock mineral occurrence and/or development potential rating for any parcel to be so high that it should be eliminated from further consideration as a parcel of federal land to be conveyed and/or a parcel of non-federal land to acquire.

With the exception of the three parcels found within the Seeley Lake Ranger District Group- Area, I rate both the leaseable mineral occurrence potential and development potential for oil and gas for the parcels to be low to very low. The three exceptions are the Monture, Cottonwood Lakes and Seeley Airport parcels. For these three parcels, I found the oil and gas occurrence potential to be moderate; and the oil and development potential to be low to very low.

In terms of leaseable minerals, the BLM has concluded that for all parcels the exercise of surface rights, as a consequence of the proposed exchange, would not interfere unreasonably with operations under the Mineral Leasing Act.

For the purposes of the proposed DNRC/Lolo National Forest Land Exchange, I did not find the oil and gas occurrence and development potential ratings for any parcel to be so high that it should be eliminated from further consideration as a parcel of federal land to be conveyed and/or a parcel of non-federal land to acquire.

For the non-federal parcels involved in the DNRC/Lolo National Forest Land Exchange I did not find parcel with either a common variety mineral materials occurrence potential and/or development potential that should eliminate it from further consideration as a parcel of non- federal land to acquire. This is not the case for three of the federal parcels, the Graham Mountain 15, Fourmile 9, and Tarkio. Mineral materials from developed mineral material sites on these three parcels are currently being used or have been used extensively in the past by the Lolo National Forest, the Montana State Department of Transportation, Mineral County, and local residents. Therefore, a thorough analysis of present and future needs from the Graham Mountain 15, Fourmile 9, and Tarkio parcels should be completed before any of the parcels in the proposed land exchange are conveyed from federal ownership. If any of these three parcels are to be conveyed, consideration should be given to reserving a volume of sand and gravel-- sufficient to meets the combined needs of the Lolo National Forest, Mineral County, and local residents-- for a period of no less than 20-years.

I found nothing in the literature, during my field examinations, or upon conducting a thorough review of aerial photographs, that would indicate or suggest the presence of any abandoned mine sites and/or wastes on any of the lands involved in the proposed DNRC/Lolo National Forest Land Exchange.

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Based on my review of mineral ownership, geologic setting, and mineral potential of each parcel, I recommend:

(1) the proposed land exchange receive further consideration since it will have no significant affect on any future development of minerals and/or oil and gas resources in this area;

(2) that all rights, both surface and subsurface (minerals), be exchanged;

(3) a thorough analysis of present and future needs for sand and gravel from the Graham Mountain 15, Fourmile 9, and Tarkio parcels be completed before any of the parcels in the proposed land exchange are conveyed from federal ownership; and

(4) if the Graham Mountain 15 parcel is to be exchanged, the gravel resources present on the parcel should be considered in the appraisal of the lands.

Abstract-DNRC/Lolo NF Land Exchange Mineral Report: Page A-4 REFERENCES

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