Mining prospects such as the Alta lode were what originally drew people to the Wickes area.
Today, Montana Tunnels resides on Alta mountain, the same mountain that housed the famed Alta lode mine.
About 100 years ago, according to Montana Tunnels employee Rob Trenamen, two exploratory tunnels were driven into the mineral deposit. It was these tunnels that inspired the mine’s name.
In 1986, the Montana Tunnels mine opened for business in the “Wickes-Corbin” mining district under the ownership of the Pegasus Gold Corportation. Since then, approximately $4.9 billion worth of minerals have been extracted, according to the mine’s website.
Eventually, Nevoro Gold Inc. acquired the mine and changed its name to the Apollo Gold Corporation.
In 2006, the Apollo Gold Corporation formed a “joint venture” with Elkhorn Tunnels for the site. Elkhorn Goldfields later purchased the mine in February of 2010 and the company merged with Eastern Resources Inc.
Mining operations were suspended in 2005 due to safety concerns, but milling continued through 2009, according to Trenamen.
Since the site opened, 99.5 million tons of various ores have been mined, including gold, zinc, lead and silver according to Trenamen. But the mine is far from drying up.
“The remaining Montana Tunnels defined ore body has approximately 100 million tons of ‘measured and indicated’ ore or, at current rates of production, approximately 20 years of remaining mine life,” Trenamen said.
The site has remained inactive since, and in 2018, the Department of Environmental Quality officially recognized the mine as abandoned.
In Dexember of 2022, Montana Tunnels filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, naming organizations such as the DEQ as creditors.
During the bankruptcy proceedings, Montana Tunnels CEO Pat Imeson announced that the mine could reopen by the the end of 2023.
Other than the Alta lode, the Enterprise was the only other mine mentioned in the Wickes Pioneer’s first issue.
The Enterprise was located by E. R. Dean and sold to a Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Wicket. When the Wickes Pioneer emerged, the Enterprise was still in its early stages of development.
Other mining claims responsible for the prosperity of Wickes and Jefferson City were the Argentine, the Axe and the Gregory lode.
