WorldWide Drilling Resource

55 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® OCTOBER 2013 Mining in the USA Part 16 Compiled by WorldWide Drilling Resource ® When New York comes to mind, one seldom thinks of what lies beneath those towering skyscrapers. However, a wealth of mineral resources can be found below the surface of the empire state. New York ranks in or near the top third of the coun- t ry in value of its mineral produc t i on. Mineral com- modities pro- duced there are crushed stone, l imestone, salt, construction sand and gravel, zinc, garnet, emery, gypsum, and talc. New York is the only state in America that produces wollas- tonite, a mineral used since the early 1980s as a replacement for asbestos in products. The earliest mining in the region began with Native Americans who established mining sites for a variety of purposes such as the extraction of chert for projectile points, clay for pot- tery, red, yellow, and black iron and manganese minerals for pigments, and stones for jewelry, decoration, and tool making. Mining in New York continued with the arrival of early European settlers who were hopeful of forming success- ful enterprises in the New World. The iron industry was on the rise and min- ing was used to extract this valuable resource. Large-scale mining began to take place in 1830, when modern blast furnaces initiated growth in the cast iron industry. During the years of 1861 through 1865, New York’s iron mining industry was crucial in the Civil War effort as iron from the Adirondacks made up 25% of the nation’s total pro- duction during this time. Iron mines of New York remained in operation through World Wars I and II. The last remaining iron mine in the state was closed in 1982. Of all the minerals and stones mined in New York, salt continues to be one of the most important. With the United States being the second largest salt producer in the world, New York ranks number three in salt production in the states. The state produces millions of tons of salt each year. New York is currently the second largest industrial garnet producer in the United States. The state is also home to the largest garnet mine in the world, Barton Mines Company of Glens Falls, which has mined alman- dite-pyrope garnet continuously since 1878. In 1975, the New York Mined Land Reclamation Law was enacted and more than 2500 mines have been reclaimed since then. In addi- tion to being reclaimed as mines, areas once mined in New York are now being used as farms, wetlands, wildlife habitats, residential develop- ments, and public recreation areas. Look for more Mining in the USA next month! Miners from Witherbee Sherman Mine in Mineville, New York. Photo courtesy of miningartifacts.org New York