Comet, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Comet, Montana
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Comet, Montana
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 Comet, Montana
Location in Montana
Comet, Montana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Jefferson |
| Established | 1883 |
| Abandoned | 1941 |
| Named for | Comet Mine |
| Elevation | 6,388 ft (1,947 m) |
Comet is a fascinating ghost town in Montana, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Helena, Montana. You can reach it by following High Ore Road.
This old town covers about 35 acres. You can still see many buildings from its mining days. These include an ore hopper and a large processing building. There are also company buildings and many old houses. High Ore Creek flows through the middle of the town. It separates the mine buildings from the living areas. Today, the town is mostly abandoned. Only one home is still active. Even though it's on private land, visitors are welcome to explore.
Contents
History of Comet: A Mining Town
Comet was named after the Comet Mine. This mine started in 1883. Miners first found valuable ore here in 1874. At first, the ore was sent to another town, Wickes, for processing. This early mining work stopped in 1897.
Mining Operations and Production
Mining began again in 1900. The Montana Consolidated Copper Company took over. Later, in 1927, the Basin Montana Tunnel Company (BMTC) started running the mine. They built a new processing plant right in Comet. This plant handled ore from both the Comet Mine and the nearby Gray Eagle mine.
The BMTC became a very important company. It was the biggest producer of certain metals in Montana. Only the city of Butte produced more. The company employed about 100 workers. Mining at Comet continued until 1941. At that point, the mine's resources were used up, and operations stopped for good.
Richness of the Comet Mine
The Comet Mine was the richest mine in its area. It produced a huge $20 million worth of ore. This was ten times more than the Gray Eagle mine, which produced over $2 million. The mine yielded many important metals. These included lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold.
Cleaning Up the Environment
After the mine closed, it left behind some pollution. In 1997, a special project began. This project aimed to clean up the area. It focused on pollution from toxic metals. These metals were leaking from the mine's waste, called tailings.
Successful Cleanup Project
The cleanup project finished in June 1998. Workers moved all the mine waste into one large pile. This pile was located south of the processing building. They then fenced it off to keep people safe. They also planted new vegetation on the pile. This helped to cover it and prevent more pollution.
The Mine Waste Cleanup Bureau oversaw this work. They are part of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. They decided the project was a big success. In 2006, the department even won a national award. The U.S. Office of Surface Mining gave them this award. It recognized their excellent work at Comet.
