Background
Jeff Perkell / Getty Images
Underground silver mine
This page is no longer being updated. For ongoing coverage of this topic, go to Boise State Public Radio’s website.
The creation and growth of most western states was a direct result of the mining industries that developed in the late 1800s. In Idaho, it was silver and gold.
Mining and other traditional natural resources have taken a big hit in the last decade, but industry representative and some economists believe they’re still a major player in Idaho’s 21st Century economy.
The Idaho Division of Financial Management said the state’s mining industry grew four percent in 2010 and it is projecting “consistent gains” through 2014. Silver is just one of Idaho’s mining main-stays. The state also produces molybdenum, phosphorus, lead, zinc and copper.
