Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Historic iron mining in the Virginia Valley and Ridge produced plenty of ore and also cause large-scale slope movements. Most of these shifting mines are located in Botetourt and Alleghany Counties. Highwall cuts that exposed the ore led to mountainsides shifting enough to produce scarps and cracks visible with LiDAR imagery. One hilltop actually sank about 8 feet as the surrounding slopes bulged outward due to mine activities. The forest has reclaimed the mine areas now, but the fascinating geologic impacts remain as a reminder just how unstable some landscapes can be.
Historic iron mining in the Virginia Valley and Ridge produced plenty of ore and also cause large-scale slope movements. Most of these shifting mines are located in Botetourt and Alleghany Counties. Highwall cuts that exposed the ore led to mountainsides shifting enough to produce scarps and cracks visible with LiDAR imagery. One hilltop actually sank about 8 feet as the surrounding slopes bulged outward due to mine activities. The forest has reclaimed the mine areas now, but the fascinating geologic impacts remain as a reminder just how unstable some landscapes can be.
