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*MINING AND MINERAL INDUSTRY 
OF NEW YORK STATE*

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Mining began in New York with the arrival of Native Americans. They
extracted chert and other stone for projectile points and ornamentation,
clay for pottery, and red, yellow and black iron and manganese minerals
for pigments. In the early 1600?s, Jesuit missionaries observed Native
Americans recovering salt from briny springs. European settlers spread
mining northward up the Hudson Valley, into the Adirondacks and westward
through the Mohawk Valley. The Europeans never found gold or silver in
economic quantities but other metals were discovered that were more
important for daily life. Iron in the form of limonite (FeO(OH)) was
first extracted from "bog" deposits. Further exploration revealed large
deposits of magnetite (Fe_3 O_4 ) . The minerals galena (PbS) and
chalcopyrite (Cu FeS_2 ), were mined for lead and copper. Marble,
granite, limestone, and sandstone were quarried for building. Clay
deposits were mined for brick and tile.

The mining industry achieved its greatest extent during the 19^th and
early 20^th centuries. During this period, new mines were established
for magnetite, galena, sphalerite (ZnS) for zinc, pyrite (FeS_2 ) for
sulfur, graphite (C) for pencils, crucibles and electrical components,
garnet for abrasive, talc for paint, soap and filler, and diatomaceous
earth for polishing. Emery, a mixture of magnetite and corundum (Al_2
0_3 ) was mined for abrasive. Quartz was produced for glass
manufacturing. Molding sand was mined for use by the foundries. Hematite
(Fe_2 O_3 ) mines provided the raw material for "barn red" paint. Red
and green paint pigment was made from finely ground, colored slate.
Halite (NaCl) was produced in underground mines and was extracted as
brine from special wells for use as a preservative and in chemical
processes. Gypsum (CaSO_4× 2H_2 O), was mined for fertilizer and
plaster. Limestone of a special composition was mined for portland
cement. In the mid-20^th century, mining in New York State generally
declined. WWII brought a resurgence in iron mining and a 19th century
iron mine was reincarnated as an ilmenite (FeTiO_3 ) mine to provide
titanium dioxide, an essential component of paint pigment and chemical
smoke screens. Wollastonite (Ca_2 Si0_3 ) was originally mined for
filler material but is now used in molded resin automobile body panels.

Currently, the mining industry of New York is comprised of mines for
industrial talc, wollastonite, halite, clay, peat, garnet, granite,
slate and bluestone (sandstone). The most important mines in the state
of New York in terms of number and size are those that produce
construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand and gravel) and portland
cement. Currently, there are about 2500 operating mines in New York
State. New York State ranked 16^th of the United States in terms of
value of mineral production. Aluminum, titanium and silicon are produced
in New York from imported raw materials.

Oil and natural gas have been produced in western New York for almost
one hundred and fifty years. Early inhabitants gathered these natural
resources from surface seeps. New York petroleum production reached its
peak after World War II due to secondary recovery techniques. Production
declined until the mid-nineteen seventies when sharp price increases
spurred output. New York became an active target for natural gas
exploration until the decline of natural gas prices during mid-nineteen
eighties to the early nineties. Current economic conditions and the
discovery of new sources of natural gas central New York have
reactivated exploration interest.

*More Information from the U.S. Geological Survey:
* Mineral information and Map for New York.
<http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/state/ny.html>

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