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Montana Resources retires a giant shovel that has been in use for 30 years

Author

Rachel Ellis

Updated on April 09, 2026

After 30-years of operation Montana Resources retires a giant shovel. Its final resting spot is above the Berkeley Pit Visitors Center in Butte. 

Meagan Thompson, The Montana Standard
MR retires a giant shovel that has been in use for 30 years

A giant shovel that has been in service since 1991 takes its last walk along one of the roads inside Montana Resources near Lake Berkeley to its final resting spot above the Berkeley Pit Visitor Center on June 29. The machine is operated by electricity and moves about one-mile-per hour.

Meagan Thompson, The Montana Standard
MR retires giant shovel in use for 30 years

Chad Galle, an operator at Montana Resources, stands atop the giant shovel that has been in operation at the mine for 30 years. The shovel took its last walk at a speed of one-mile-per-hour to its final resting place above the Berkeley Pit Visitor Center. Montana Resources says they moved the machine to the visitor's center to help celebrate the history of the Mining City.

Meagan Thompson, The Montana Standard
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