Butte, Mont.-Butte-Silver Bow County officials have confirmed an agreement to sell Panterra Minerals 25 acres in an industrial park to build a $4.5 million sulfur processing plant for fertilizer and other agriculture products. Karen Byrnes, city-county community development director, referred inquiries to Hans Schmidt, Panterra chairman, who has established an office in the Butte area but was out of the country until later this month and unable to take calls. Byrnes said she knew only that the Panterra deal has “been going on since 2003-2004 and is just coming to fruition now” involving a tax increment financing district in the industrial development park. “They got the land at a good price just to get them in here,” Byrnes offered. Press reports describe Panterra Minerals as an industrial mineral processing, manufacturing, and marketing company that plans to use the Butte facility to supply specialty powdered and formed products for agricultural and industrial users. The land agreement also gives Panterra the option to buy two more parcels of land. Byrnes said Panterra is required to complete the processing facility and hire up to 10 people in a year and a half. The Butte area is primarily agriculture and ranching, along with a silicone plant and copper and molybdenum mining.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain