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Ozark or Ozark Plateau, an upland region, is actually a dissected plateau of about 50,000 square miles (129,500 km²). It is chiefly in central and southern Missouri and north Arkansas, but is also partly in Oklahoma and Kansas, between the Arkansas and Missouri rivers. The Ozark Highland area is the only major highland region in the US between the Appalachians and the Rocky Mountains.

The Ozarks, which rise from the surrounding plains, are locally referred to as mountains. Composed of a central core of igneous rock surrounded and mostly overlain by limestone and dolomite, the ancient land form has been worn down by erosion. Summits (knobs) are found wherever there is a resistant rock outcrop; the Boston Mountains are the highest and most rugged section, with several peaks more than 2,000 ft (610 m) high. The Ozark Plateaus consists of three sections—the Springfield Plateau, the Salem Plateau, and the Boston Mountains. Topography is mostly gently rolling, except in the Boston Mountains, along the escarpments separating the Springfield and Salem Plateaus, and the Saint Francois Range where it is rugged. Karst features such a springs, sinkholes, and caves are common in the limestones of the Springfield Plateau and abundant in the dolomite bedrock of the Salem Plateau and Boston Mountains.

The Saint Francois Mountain Range rises above the Ozark plateau and is the geological cause of the highland dome. The igneous and volcanic rocks of the Saint Francois Mountains are the remains of a PrecambrianThe Precambrian is the period of the geologic timescale from the appearance of Earth around 4500 million years ago to the evolution of abundant macroscopic hard-shelled fossils, which marked the beginning of the Cambrian, some 540 million years ago. Remar mountain range. The core of the range existed as a island in the Paleozoic seas. Reef complexes occur in the sedimentary layers surrounding this ancient island. These flanking reefs were points of concentration for later ore bearing fluids which formed the rich lead-zinc ores that have been mined in the area. Concentric circles of elevation emanating from the range outward can be observed from outer space. The Saint Francois Range is the core of the Ozarks even though sometimes not considered part of the Ozarks because it has exposed igneous rock and no Karst features, and was formed by volcanic activity rather than erosion. The igneous and volcanic rocks extend at depth under the relatively thin veneer of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and form the basal crust of the entire region.

The Ozarks contained rich ore deposits of leadFor the "lead" in news writing, see news style. Lead is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Pb ( L. Plumbum and atomic number 82. A soft, heavy, toxic and malleable poor metal, lead has a dull gray appearance and is bluish white w, zincZinc is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Notable characteristics Zinc is a moderately reactive metal that will combine with oxygen and other non-metals, and will react with dilute acids to release hydro, ironThis article is about metallic iron. For the ironing device, see ironing manganese iron cobalt Fe Ru Full table General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metal Group, Period, Block 8 (VIIIB), 4 , d Density, Hardness 7874 kg/m3,, and barite. Many of these deposits have been depleted by historic mining activities, but much remains and is currently being mined. Vinyards and fruit-growing areas are prevalent. Much of the area supports beef cattle ranching and dairy farming is common across the area. Subsistence farming and household crafts are found in the more isolated regions. The Ozarks have several large lakes that were created by dams across the White and Black rivers; the dams generate electricity. These lakes have provided a large tourist, boating and fishing economy along the Missouri-Arkansas border. The scenic Ozarks, with forests, streams, and mineral springs, are a popular tourist region, and the construction of summer homes there has grown.