A historic uranium ore cart stolen from a mine on public lands in southwest Montrose County has been recovered and will be displayed in a Silverton museum.
In October, 2012 law enforcement with the Bureau of Land Management were notified that the cart was taken from the Buckskin Mine, located in Bull Canyon, according to a media report issued by the Montrose BLM office.
A month later, rangers identified four males who removed the cart from the mine, and it was returned to the BLM’s Uncompaghre Field Office. The cart and wheels had been separated.
In 2014, Brian Dirk Hatter, of Cedaredge, admitted taking the cart, according to BLM and federal court documents. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft of government property and was ordered to pay $2,675 in restitution.
“Taking any artifacts from public lands is illegal, and we have law enforcement in the area keeping an eye out,” said Shannon Borders, public affairs specialist with BLM Montrose office. “We encourage people to look and take pictures and leave it for the next person to enjoy.”
Borders said there can be a misconception that archeology is only ancient Native American artifacts such as pottery or sandals.
“Mining history is also a part of our cultural history, and those artifacts are also protected by federal laws,” she said. “If you have questions about an artifact, take a picture, and our offices can help answer questions.”
This Fall, the BLM donated the cart to the San Juan County Historical Society museum in Silverton, where it will be displayed along with other historic mining carts in an interpretive exhibit this summer. The restitution was also awarded to the museum.
“It is in pretty good condition and is fully functional,” said Steve Rich, exhibit preparator for the museum. “We put it back together, and made a minor repair. Having the additional funding for the exhibit is very valuable for us.”
The standard ore cart has a rear door and is designed to tip up and rotate in different positions to dump the ore.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com