Beal Mountain Mine Still Costly To Montanans Despite Closure

The defunct Beal Mountain Mine near Anaconda closed over 20 years ago and a year later, Pegasus Gold Corporation went bankrupt leaving behind inadequate reclamation bonds at its various Montana mines, costing taxpayers over 100 million since. Pegasus did pay $6.2 million for the Beal Mountain cleanup which has so far cost nearly $25 million. The state has paid $3 million and the Forest Service over $14 million. German Gulch Creek which flows from its base into Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork River are still at risk of pollution from the mine.