The supply the natural resources to the
entire Mountain States region. Forests provide lumber to
the industry. Rivers and streams provide water to
the region's cities. The most valuable found in the
Rocky Mountains is copper. The Rockies also contain
underground mines for metals such as silver, , lead,
zinc, and uranium. There are also a few gem mines where
are mined. There is even a rich supply of coal.
Copper Mining
is used to remove minerals, such as
copper, that are close to the surface of Earth. is one method used to separate the metal from the rock. The smelting process uses high temperatures to separate pure
metals from rock. The waste materials are called . The Bingham Canyon Mine near , Utah is the
largest mine in the world. It is one of the few man-made
things on Earth that can be seen from . The main
products of this mine are copper, gold, and silver.