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Mined Land Learning Resources
As you go about your daily life, have you ever thought about where the things that you use come from? The components in your electronic devices, the electricity that powers your lights and computers, the roads that you drive on, the buildings that you live and work in, the medicine you take, the solar panels that make it possible to capture the sun's energy as a renewable fuel…they must come from somewhere, right? There is a saying that goes "if it can't be grown then it has to be mined" and that is as true today as it was yesterday, and it will continue to be in the future. The Minerals Education Coalition estimates that every man, woman, and child uses approximately 3.19 million pounds of minerals, metals, and fuels in their lifetime.
Mining is clearly important to our everyday lives and it is equally important to return these mined lands to productive use when they have reached the end of their reserves. The Division of Mineral Resources is tasked with regulating the mines in New York State and ensuring that reclamation meets the regulatory standards.
The Division maintains a data management system and databases, as well as regulatory mine files about the mines and minerals found during exploration, including:
- Geology and location of mines in New York
- Mine inspections performed by DEC
- Financial security held by the state for reclamation of mines
- Reclamation of land affected by surface mining
This information can be used to form an overall picture of the mineral resources in New York, their extraction and use, and mitigation techniques that help protect the environment. There are approximately 1,700 permitted mining operations in New York State producing almost two dozen mineral commodities and affecting over 60,000 acres of land that will need to be reclaimed. Descriptions and interesting facts about several of these commodities are discussed in the Mineral Fact Sheets (PDF) (2.8 MB). The Division works to ensure that the lands affected by mining are reclaimed and returned to productive use as either wildlife habitat, agriculture, further industrial or commercial use, etc.
The New York Rock Talk section on this page provides even more interesting facts about mining in New York State. To some people, they're just rocks but, when extracted and processed, the mineral commodities of New York State are valued at more than $1 billion annually. The Conservationist Magazine has included five articles about New York States mineral resources and mined land reclamation, which can be accessed below.
As part of an ongoing environmental forum series, the Albany Law School convened a panel discussion on "Sustainable Development and Mining: Perspectives on New York State's Mined Land Reclamation Law" (PDF) (37.8 KB). A former Division Director participated as one of the panelists and his discussion of the issues includes a historical perspective on the implementation of the Mined Land Reclamation Law, as well as some insights into the DEC application and review process for mining applications, a process that is not always well-understood by local governments and the public.
Another source of information about New York's mineral resources is the New York State Geological Survey (link leaves DEC's website) at the State Museum in Albany, where many geological records and maps are on file, along with the world's oldest and largest collection of New York rocks and minerals, and an extensive list of geological publications. A complete list of Survey publications may be obtained from: NYS Museum and Geologic Survey 3140 Cultural Education Center Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12230.
Additionally, the Division of Mineral Resources regulates the oil, gas, and solution salt mining industries in New York State. Data and statistics pertaining to these industries can also be found on our website.
DEC geologists and mined land reclamation specialists both teach and learn from other professionals in their fields, maintaining contact with government and industry mined land reclamation units. The principal forums for this exchange of information are professional and popular publications and professional conferences and meetings. If you have any questions about mining in New York State, please reach out to your regional Mined Land Reclamation Specialist and they will do their best to provide you with answers.
DEC Does What?! Podcast and Conservationist Magazine
Mined Land Reclamation staff have been featured in DEC’s new podcast and multiple Conservationist Articles. A brief description and link to each of these is below.
DEC Does What?! Podcast Episode #25 – From Pit to Park: Reclaiming New York’s Mined Lands: The hosts are joined by staff from DEC’s Division of Mineral Resources to discuss the essential role of minerals in New York State’s economy and how the agency oversees the mining industry to ensure the protection of natural resources. This and other podcast episodes can be found here.
Conservationist Magazine Issues
Syracuse, the Salt City (February/March 2026 – Volume 80, Number 4) (PDF) Living in New York State, it’s not uncommon to wake up on a chilly winter morning to find ice on the driveway and sidewalk. Many of us bundle up, head outside, and start spreading salt from the bag we keep by the door. But have you ever considered where those crystals really come from? It might be closer than you think.
New Beginnings for Old Mines (June 2019 – Volume 73, Number 6) (PDF) What happens when the dust settles and the trucks are gone? Explore how former mines are transformed to blend in, or stand out, in our communities.
Rock in a Hard Place (February 2009 – Volume 63, Number 4) (PDF) Learn about the many methods of mining and uses of salt in New York State.
Bluestone: From Ancient Sea to American Architecture (August 2008 – Volume 63, Number 1) (PDF) Bluestone is one of New York’s oldest and most unique mining industries. Learn about its mining and geologic history and how this attractive rock has shaped the world around us.
Treasures of the Earth (August 1997 – Volume 52, Number 1) (PDF) Learn about the unique minerals found in New York and the duties of the Mined Land Reclamation Program.
Reprints of the entire issues of the Conservationist are available from the New York State Library.
New York Rock Talk
- There are almost 1,700 permitted operations in New York State producing roughly two dozen mineral commodities and affecting over 50,000 acres of land that need to be reclaimed.
- New York ranks in the top 20 nationally in non-fuel mineral production (based on 2024 data).
- New York has the only commercially-producing wollastonite mine in the United States and supplies nearly all of the Nation's uses. On a global scale, New York is the 3rd largest wollastonite producer, after China and India.
- New York is one of the top seven salt-producing state in the U.S.
- Commercial production of salt began in Syracuse due to the difficulty in getting salt during the War of 1812.
- In 1825, money from the taxes on salt was used to build the remaining leg of the Erie Canal, allowing salt to be transported to the Great Lakes. As such, the canal was nicknamed "the ditch that salt built".
- In the 1800s, Irish salt workers in central New York used the boiling salt vats to cook their potatoes at lunch, thus introducing salt potatoes.
- New York and Pennsylvania are the only sources of commercially-produced bluestone in the United States.
- Garnet is the official New York State Gem.
- Barton Mines Corporation, located in the Adirondacks, was the first industrial garnet mining operation in the world and is also the oldest continuous garnet mining operation in the world. Prior to 1982, the Gore Mountain Mine was the largest garnet mine in the world.
- New York was once considered a major zinc producer with one of the top ten zinc mines in the country.
- New York holds over $400,000,000 in financial security to make sure mined land is reclaimed to a beneficial use.
- There is no coal in New York State.
- It takes approximately 65,000 tons of aggregate, including sand, gravel, and crushed stone--enough to fill a standard football field 27 feet deep--to build one mile of the New York State Thruway.
- Each and every one of us in New York uses over 110 pounds of mineral products per day for building roads, sidewalks, houses and other buildings-over 20 tons per person per year.
Did you know...?
- Look around--if it can't be grown, it has to be mined. Mineral products are used by billions of consumers every day, but -- amazingly -- more than 99.9 percent of the earth's surface has never been touched by mining.
- Mines can't just be constructed anywhere. They have to be where the natural materials are found.
- Critical minerals are considered essential for the country's economic and national security. The USGS and the NYS Museum are conducting surveys of New York to identify potential critical mineral resources.
How many...?
How many different metals and mineral products from mines are used to make the following:
- Cell phone = 40+
- Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb = 15
- LED light bulb = 18
- Wind turbine = 13
- Solar panel = 17
- Hybrid car = 20
