Karst anthophyllite property, Gallatin Gateway, Montana

This anthophyllite property lay near Gallatin Gateway in Gallatin County, Montana; the U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook reported that in 1933 Peter F. Karst sold amphibole, "reported to be ½-inch fiber and No. 1 grade, from his property 20 miles southwest of Gallatin Gateway."¹ The same report called it "the only amphibole asbestos of such quality in the United States known to the Bureau."¹ The yearbook for 1936 said "the anthophyllite property operated for several years by Peter F. Karst was acquired by the Karstolite Co. in 1936," and the 1938 yearbook that "the Karstolite Co. mined anthophyllite near Gallatin Gateway."^2,3 The 1939 yearbook was told that the Karstolite Co. "no longer operates the anthophyllite deposit," while "a new company, the Montana Asbestos Co., is in process of organization."⁴ The yearbook for 1940 said the Montana Asbestos Co. "reported small sales of anthophyllite from its property at Gallatin Gateway."⁵ Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, wrote in 1948 that the Montana Asbestos Co. "at Bozeman" had "in 1938 tried to develop an amphibole deposit for the making of home insulation, roofing paint, asbestos boiler cement," and listed it among deposits "not now operating."⁶

The documents report small or short-lived production of asbestos fiber for sale.¹

Location

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1933

• Fiber: “strong, silky fibers of spinning quality. This is the only amphibole asbestos of such quality in the United States known to the Bureau” (Peter F. Karst), p. 5¹
• Worked: “Peter F. Karst sold amphibole, reported to be 1/2-inch fiber and No. 1 grade, from his property 20 miles southwest of Gallatin Gateway” (Peter F. Karst), p. 5¹

1935

• Fiber: “The anthophyllite property” (Peter F. Karst), p. 3²

1936

• Ownership: “The anthophyllite property operated for several years by Peter F. Karst was acquired by the Karstolite Co. in 1936” (Karstolite Co.), p. 3²

1937

• Worked: “the Karstolite Co. mined anthophyllite near Gallatin Gateway, Gallatin County” (Karstolite Co.), p. 4³

1938

• Idle: “the Karstolite Co. no longer operates the anthophyllite deposit in Gallatin County, Mont.” (Karstolite Co.), p. 6⁴
• Ownership: “a new company, the Montana Asbestos Co., is in process of organization” (Montana Asbestos Co.), p. 6⁴
• Exploration: “in 1938 tried to develop an amphibole deposit” (Montana Asbestos Co.), p. 28⁶

1939

• Worked: “The Montana Asbestos Co. reported small sales of anthophyllite from its property at Gallatin Gateway, Gallatin County” (Montana Asbestos Co.), p. 6⁵

1948

• Idle: “the Montana Asbestos Co. at Bozeman, Montana which in 1938 tried to develop an amphibole deposit” (Montana Asbestos Co.), p. 28⁶

Other names

Documents call this mine “Karst property”, “Karstolite Co.”, “Montana Asbestos Co.”.

See also

• Asbestos exposure sites in Montana
• All asbestos mines

References

1. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1934 (January 1, 1935), p. 5.
2. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1936 (January 1, 1937), p. 3.
3. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1938 (January 1, 1939), p. 4.
4. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1939 (January 1, 1940), p. 6.
5. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1940 (January 1, 1941), p. 6.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1948, October 1948 (October 1, 1948), p. 28.