Mining was once an important industry in northern New York. The earliest mines were small iron mines and forges along Lake Champlain in the late 1700s. In the 1820s, the mining industry started to grow rapidly. Mining in the Adirondacks reached its peak in the mid-to-late 1800s. Eleven minerals have been extracted -- or removed -- from the region. Two of the most important minerals have been iron and garnet. Other mineral resources mined include graphite, pyrite, wollastonite, pyrite, feldspar, talc, and titanium.

The natural resources mined in northern New York were important to the people in the Adirondacks, New York, and the nation. Everyday life in rural villages, towns, and cities depended on these resources. Iron was especially important in the 1800s. It was used to make nails, tools, cookware, and stoves. Iron was also needed in the booming railroad business that was quickly expanding across the United States. By 1890, “iron horses,” as steam engines were often called, ran along over 250,000 miles of rails in the United States.

While everyday life throughout America is still dependent on natural resources, the Adirondacks no longer provide as many mineral resources for industrial needs. In the 21st century, only two minerals -- garnet and wollastonite -- are mined within the Adirondack Park.