County moves to seize Montana Tunnels mine

Correction: The original story indicated that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality could seek ownership of the Montana Tunnels mine through a reclamation bond for the mine, possibly putting the agency in competition with the county for ownership of the mine. After publication, the DEQ clarified that the agency can seize the mine permit but is not seeking ownership of the mine itself. The story has been updated.

Jefferson County is one step closer to taking ownership of the Montana Tunnels mine, a large open-pit mine near Corbin, west of Jefferson City, but county leaders worry about a possible ownership dispute with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. 

The County Commission on Nov. 2 unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Treasurer Terri Kunz to sign a tax deed for multiple parcels of land constituting much of the mine, which produced gold, silver, zinc and lead, but hasn’t operated since 2008 and owes the county about $9 million in a variety of unpaid taxes, including about $4.9 in delinquent property taxes on the parcels in question.