TEN LAKES WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, MONTANA.

A mineral-resource survey of the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area, Montana, was conducted. Areas of probable or substantiated mineral potential were found surrounding zones of past mining activity east of Independence Peak where copper-bearing veins are hosted by basaltic lava flows. Three mines contain demonstrated or inferred resources, and there are numerous prospects. Other areas of probable resource potential include an area on Sinclair Creek with copper occurrences similar to those of the Independence Peak area, an area including Gilbralter Ridge where lead and zinc veins are hosted by sedimentary rocks, two areas where zinc-copper occurrences are related to metadiorite sills, and two areas that contain stratabound copper occurrences. The areas with copper and lead-zinc veins may also be of interest for deeply buried mineralized systems, as the veins may be the surface expression of plutons at relatively shallow depths.