Stillwater Mining Company is engaged in the development, extraction, processing, refining and marketing of palladium, platinum and associated metals from a geological formation in south central Montana known as the J-M Reef and from the recycling of spent catalytic converters. The Company conducts mining operations at the Stillwater Mine near Nye, Montana and at the East Boulder Mine near Big Timber, Montana. Both mines are located on the J-M Reef. The Company operates concentrating plants at each mining operation to upgrade mined production to a concentrate form. The Company operates a smelter and base metal refinery at Columbus, Montana at which it further upgrades the mined concentrates into a PGM-rich filter cake. During the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company had proven and probable ore reserves of approximately 38.2 million tons with an average grade of 0.54 ounce of platinum group metals (PGMs) per ton.