Geology Fredericktown is nearly unique in the United States for the variety of minerals and metals that have been found and commercially mined nearby, including lead, iron, copper, silver, cobalt, nickel, zinc, tungsten, and small amounts of gold, all of which have been mined at various times within of the town. The mines immediately east of the town, in what has been called the Old Lead Belt, were at one time one of the largest sources of lead in the United States. One of the oldest, and possibly the oldest, lead mines on the North American continent can be found six miles (10 km) north, in Mine La Motte. While little or no iron has ever been mined in Madison County, very large deposits of mostly hematite with associated magnetite exist to the west in Iron County. These deposits have been mined since at least Civil War times.
Geology Fredericktown, is nearly unique in the United States for the variety of minerals and metals that have been found and commercially mined nearby, including lead, iron, copper, silver, cobalt, nickel, zinc, tungsten, and small amounts of gold, all of which have been mined at various times within of the town. The mines immediately east of the town, in what has been called the Old Lead Belt, were at one time one of the large!st sources of lead in the United States. One of the oldest, and possibly the oldest, lead mines on the North American continent can be found six miles (10 km) north, in Mine La Motte. While little or no iron has ever been mined in Madison County, very large deposits of mostly hematite with associated magnetite exist to the west in Iron County. These deposits have been mined since at least Civil War times.