A wide variety of minerals occur in Virginia. These minerals are the basic building blocks of the rocks across the landscape. Minerals each have distinctive properties that make each unique and provide for their differing uses. In Virginia minerals are often mined for industrial purposes. Common minerals in Virginia include: feldspar, garnet, gold, quartz, pyrite, mica, and hematite. Gold was mined extensively in Virginia from the early 1800s. Based on the graph provided, what can you deduce about gold mining in Virginia? A) Gold mining in Virginia peaked in the late 1880s. B) Gold mining only occurred in the 1800s in Virginia. C) Gold production was last recorded in Virginia in 1947. D) There was never any gold mining or production in Virginia.