Kansas



Kansas is one of those "blanket" states in the Midwest, states with almost rectangular borders, looking like a blanket on a map. Most of its surface is plains, with not much possibilities to karstify. There is not enough relief to allow subterranean drainage. However, there are some caves at the southern and southeastern borders. Some of them are special and interesting, as the rocks in the south are often anhydrate or gypsum. But there is no commercial cave in the whole state.

There are some mining activities in the state, but very little compared to its size. Most important is the coal mining in southern Linn County. During the last centuries there have been many coal mines around.

For a hundred years, between 1850 and 1950 lead and zinc mining in the region called the Ozark Plateau in extreme southeastern Cherokee County occured. This Tri-State mining district of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma was one of the major lead and zinc mining areas in the world.