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Great Falls Refinery

The Great Falls Refinery was originally established and operated by The Anaconda Copper Mining Co. This company owned many industrial businesses in the Great Falls area, but the refinery was the biggest and most well known facility. In 1980, the refinery was shut down. The Anaconda Copper Mining Co. closed the doors of the plant, and more than 500 local residents lost their jobs. City officials blamed the closure on the company's failure to invest their profits into fixing up the refinery to make it more modern and productive. It seemed the plant, which was extremely noticeable due to a large black smoke stack that stood more than 500 feet into the air, was gone for good.

It wasn't until two years later that the smoke stack was destroyed. A demolition crew was called in to set up charges around the base and bring it down. The explosion created a mighty cloud that enveloped the entire area where the stack stood, and when it dissipated, residents who had gathered to witness the destruction of the city monument cheered as they saw the stack had held its ground. The celebrations did not last long; a second charge was used several hours, and that time it was successful.

This was not to be the end of the oil refining process in the city. A company known as The Holly Corporation opened an oil refinery in Great Falls, and formed the Montana Refining Company to manage the business of the plant. It produced nearly 8,000 barrels of crude oil a day, and by 2005 caught the attention of Connacher Oil and Gas Limited. Connacher put in a bid to purchase the refinery for a sum that was reportedly $55 million dollars. The Chief Executive Officer of Holly Corporation, Matthew P. Clifton, stated his approval of the deal, and gave his opinion that the existing employees would continue with their jobs under the new ownership.

The history of oil refining in Great Falls has been somewhat shaky over the years, and one of the biggest problems that the industry had to endure was caused by a natural material called asbestos. Asbestos was mined and used in products that were required to withstand a great amount of heat, so it was commonly found in oil refineries where temperatures get extremely high. The products that were made out of asbestos would eventually break or crumble, and when this happens that tiny fibers that make up the would be released into the air, where they could be easily inhaled or attached to clothing and inadvertently transported to other locations.

Asbestos was later discovered to be a very toxic material. Breathing in the fibers commonly leads to a form of cancer called mesothelioma, so anyone who worked at the Great Falls Refinery while these materials were present was put in jeopardy. If you worked at the plant, you may have been exposed and should be examined by your healthcare practitioner. Make an appointment and let them know they you may have been subjected to asbestos, so they will know the best way to deal with the situation.

Last modified: December 09 2009.