Ruffner Mountain was named after geologist William Henry Ruffner, who was employed by Georgia Pacific Railway Company. In 1882, Ruffner and John L. Campbell surveyed across the area to assist with the plan for expansion of the railroad across Alabama and Mississippi. Ruffner completed his survey in 1883, with the inclusion that he had "discovered" new mines near Irondale.
Mining at Ruffner began in 1886-87 and continued intermittently until 1953. Ruffner Mountain's iron ore is high in silica (a component in sand) and therefore made it undesirable for iron manufacturing but was still useful to make pig iron. Three types of mining available at the time were implemented on Ruffner: strip-mining, incline, and slope mining. The harvested and crushed iron ore traveled on the Birmingham Mineral railway to Sloss Furnaces after a circuitous route that first took the train cars to Trussville. In 1896, a local newspaper reported that its mines produced over 200 tons of raw ore per day.
Ruffner Mountain was also mined for limestone and chert rock as evident from the various quarries on the mountain.
You may see many remnants of Birmingham’s industrial past while on the trail including ore crushers. Refer to the Preserve Map for the locations of historic Mining Sites. Please help us to preserve this history by leaving these relics just as you found them.
The exploration of all mines and caves on Ruffner Mountain is restricted due to potential hazards and disease transmission. If you are leading a class, want to conduct research, or have a special interest in our caves and mines, please contact our Conservation Director, Jamie Nobles, jamie@ruffnermountain.org, or 205-833-8264.
