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Drill Results Map — Montana

To create a drill results map for Montana, import your MT claims or data as GeoJSON, assign the appropriate layer role for automatic styling, set the Light or Satellite basemap, and export as PNG or PDF. The entire process takes 15–30 minutes with no GIS experience required.

About Mining in Montana

Montana hosts the Stillwater Complex, the only primary platinum-palladium mine in the United States, along with significant gold, silver, and copper production.

Key minerals: gold, silver, copper, palladium, platinum, coal. Notable deposits: Stillwater, East Boulder, Butte, Golden Sunlight. Mining districts: Stillwater Complex, Butte, Beaverhead, Lincoln.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality administers mineral rights in Montana. Claim data is accessible through BLM LR2000.

What is a Drill Results Map?

A drill results map plots the collar locations of completed drill holes alongside key assay results — typically highest-grade intercept, hole depth, and azimuth. It is the standard figure included in exploration news releases and is scrutinized by investors and analysts to understand the spatial distribution of mineralization.

How to Create a Drill Results Map for Montana

  1. Import your drill collar CSV (columns: hole ID, latitude, longitude, depth, assay)
  2. Assign the Drillholes layer role
  3. Import the property claims boundary as GeoJSON
  4. Add callout labels to key holes showing hole ID and best intercept
  5. Use Badge Label type to highlight the highest-grade holes
  6. Configure the title with program name and date
  7. Set the Landscape 16:9 ratio for news release figures
  8. Export as PNG at 2× for email and PDF for the news release attachment

Recommended Settings for Montana

  • Basemap: Light or Satellite
  • Design theme: Investor — Navy & White
  • Export format: PNG at 2× for investor presentations, PDF (Letter or A4) for NI 43-101 reports
  • Coordinate system: Ensure source data is in WGS84 (EPSG:4326)

Common Use Cases in Montana

  • Exploration news releases
  • NI 43-101 technical reports
  • Investor day presentations
  • Analyst briefings

Frequently Asked Questions

What file format do I need for Montana mineral claims data?
Montana mineral claims boundaries are available from BLM LR2000 and can typically be downloaded as Shapefiles or KML. Convert these to GeoJSON at mapshaper.org before importing into Exploration Maps.
Who regulates mineral claims in Montana?
Mineral claims in Montana are regulated by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. All tenure and claims data can be queried through BLM LR2000.
What minerals are typically mapped in Montana?
Montana is known for its gold, silver, copper, palladium deposits. Key producing and exploration-stage properties include Stillwater, East Boulder, Butte. The main mining districts are Stillwater Complex, Butte, Beaverhead.
Can I export a Montana drill results map for an NI 43-101 report?
Yes. Exploration Maps exports PNG and PDF at 2–3× pixel ratio, suitable for inclusion in NI 43-101 technical reports as required figures. The export includes north arrow, scale bar, legend, and title block — all elements required for NI 43-101 compliance.