The mining history of the area is incredibly rich and world-famous, from its earliest days of the Mossy Creek Mine started around 1850. Other companies followed -- The American Zinc Co., The United States Steel Co., The New Jersey Zinc Co., Grasselli Chemical Co., American Smelting and Refining Co. (ASARCO), Pasminco and Savage Mining and now East Tennessee Zinc Co.

The zinc deposits in the Mascot-Jefferson City Zinc District are some of the purest zinc deposits in the world, and their production and development have contributed to the lives, the community, and the nation for over 100 years. There remain many millions of tons of zinc ore in the ground within the district for present and future miners.

Extracted from an article about Mark Hostetter in the Standard Banner newspaper.