The Elliston District has long been known for producing large deposits of native, or free-milling gold. The Sunrise Mine is right in the heart of this district and has historically produced 2-3 ounces of gold ($45 per ton in 1933 values) per ton. The mine consists of two adits, an upper and a lower. The upper has been closed for a very long time. A 1928 report noted it as open but inaccessible. Both tunnels work to a wide lode (2?) of gold, pyrite and silver. The Lower tunnel has been closed, but would only require minimal effort to re-open. The timbered adit entrance is clearly visible.

Outside of the mine there are extensive, very rich tailings that verify the reports of the lode inside. The survey teams reported small bits of gold with quartz, pyrite and some lead. There were a few high grade piles of 2-4 tons that had been lightly picked at. This showed more gold in quartz and less pyrites.

The mine camp is off of a great road right out of Elliston. The mine road breaks off the main road and gets a little more rough as it works up to the camp level. At this level the road is flat and easy to navigate. We recommend 4WD for all mining activities but this could be negotiated with an AWD vehicle. The roughest part is some rocks on the old mine road.

The lower adit area has most of the more recent workings dating up into 1982 when the mine was leased and sampled. Work was said to begin May of 1983, contingent on the price of gold remaining over $500 per ounce. That dropped quickly and gold hovered around $300 for the rest of the 80s.
There were two buildings on this claim at one time, both have fallen or been removed. There is a concrete pad that could be used for equipment or just for setting up your own camp.

Native or Free-milling gold is highly sought after because it is very easy to extract. Just crush and pan. It does not need to be processed or chemically treated. In the case of this mine, it could be worked immediately in just processing the tailings. We know of a very good processor that specializes in just such ores and they are less than 100 miles away.

near Helena, Montana, USA.

The Sunrise should be considered a producing gold mine as it is. The tailings and high grade ore piles that are present on the claim are more than enough to produce a few thousand dollars a week for a good many years. Getting into the mine would be where the big money is. The mine is noted as having a massive lode deposit of gold that is 2? wide and from 15-40 feet long. The lode is accessed from the upper and lower adits, although both are currently closed and would need to be re-opened.

The Mines could be re-opened either by hand, or by submitting a Notice of Operation to the FS and then just bring in a track-hoe to clear the entrances. There has been no description of the tunnels since 1966. The upper adit was reported as inaccessible in 1928. The upper adit could be reached through a series of stopes and raises from the lower adit in 1966.

There is extensive gold production recorded in this area and there are still active mines in the area that are producing several hundred ounces of gold per year with 1-2 man operations. If you are a fan of gold, this is where you should be.

The mine camp is stretched out along a flat on the mountainside that is mostly made of tailings from the workings of the mine. There are hundreds of thousands of tons of tailings here. Not all of it is gold rich, but it does give a good idea of the size of the workings. Professional estimates of the size of workings, based on tailings, to be well over 3000?. This is a likely assessment as the mines out here are not small. There are foundations from two old buildings and some stunning views of the valley. Plenty of room to park 5-10 vehicles and stage some equipment as well. Temperatures will be relatively moderate until winter kicks in. December-February are going to be your coldest months and only the very hardy will be out.

There is water above and below the claim from the Blackfoot river. Likely there is probably some water built up in the mine but this is only speculative. There is some good timber in the way of pines on the claim that could used in support of your mining operation. Lots of dead timber as well in the area, perfect for campfires after a long days work at the mine.