Economic Uses (Tour Map symbol Mn)
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Introduction
The discovery of precious metals stimulated European settlement of the Black Hills in the nineteenth century. Gold is still mined out of the Paleozoic strata and quartz veins running through it. However, open pit mining and panning is not as economical as it once was. Shaft mining for gold is the main method of gold extraction currently. The Homestake Mine was the largest gold producer in North America, but mining activity has ceased since the price of gold dropped below $280 (U.S.)/ounce.
Several other metals and minerals are mined from the Black Hills notably silver, iron, and pegmatites. A few smaller mines produce many unusual and rare non-metallic specimens that are marketed to the public in local shops and through the internet.
Limestone is commercially mined near Rapid City by the cement plant formerly owned and operated by state government. There is a minor amount of gypsum mining in the Black Hills to support the activities of the state cement plant.
Bentonite is quarried by surface mining techniques near Bell Fourche. The bentonite is derived from volcanic ash deposited in the Belle Fourche formation that is a Cretaceous shale deposit.