Argonaut Talc Mine, Vermont

For many years, Vermont was one of the leading states in the production of talc, and it is still one of only six states that does so, and is ranked third in the nation. All of the talc production currently comes from a single mine, the Argonaut Mine, in Ludlow, which is operated by Imerys Talc - said to be the world's leading talc producer. Talc is the softest rock in the world-the starting point on Mohs Scale of Hardness. It is used primarily as an industrial chemical filling material, adding tensile strength to plastics, paints, pharmaceuticals and building materials such as roofing shingles.