Open-pit mining era Butte, Montana

patrons @ matinee of phantom foe @ american theater, december 25, 1920.



1942 view of city.

disputes between miners unions , companies continued through 1920s , 1930s in butte, several strikes , protests, 1 of lasted ten months in 1921. in 1923, protestors attempted blow hibernian hall on main street dynamite. between 1914 , 1920, u.s. national guard occupied butte total of 6 times restore civility.

further industrial expansions included arrival of first mail plane in city in 1928, , in 1937, city s streetcar system dismantled , replaced bus lines. copper mines proved prosperous until 1950s, when declining grade of ore , competition other mines led anaconda company switch focus costly , dangerous practice of underground mining open pit mining.

since 1950s, 5 major developments in city have occurred: anaconda s decision begin open-pit mining in mid-1950s; series of fires in butte s business district in 1970s; debate on whether relocate city s historic business district; new civic leadership; , end of copper mining in 1983. in response, butte looked ways diversify economy , provide employment. legacy of on century of environmental degradation has, example, produced jobs. environmental cleanup in butte, designated superfund site, has employed hundreds of people.

thousands of homes destroyed in meaderville suburb , surrounding areas, mcqueen , east butte, excavate berkeley pit, opened in 1954 anaconda copper. @ time, largest truck-operated open pit copper mine in united states. berkeley pit grew time until bordered columbia gardens. after gardens caught fire , burned ground in november 1973, continental pit excavated on former park site. in 1977 arco (atlantic richfield company) company purchased anaconda, , 3 years later started shutting down mines due lower metal prices. in 1982, mining in berkeley pit suspended. in 1983, organization of low income , unemployed residents of butte formed fight jobs , environmental justice; butte community union produced detailed plan community revitalization , won substantial benefits, including montana supreme court victory striking down unconstitutional state elimination of welfare benefits.

the berkeley pit in 1984.

anaconda ceased mining @ continental pit in 1983. montana resources llp bought property , reopened continental pit in 1986. company stopped mining in 2000, resumed in 2003 higher metal prices, , continues @ last report, employing 346 people. 1880 through 2005, mines of butte district have produced more 9.6 million metric tons of copper, 2.1 million metric tons of zinc, 1.6 million metric tons of manganese, 381,000 metric tons of lead, 87,000 metric tons of molybdenum, 715 million troy ounces (22,200 metric tons) of silver, , 2.9 million ounces (90 metric tons) of gold. when mining ceased @ berkeley pit in 1982, water pumps in nearby mines shut down, resulted in highly acidic water laced toxic heavy metals filling pit.