the short lived phosphate mining industry was a major source of income for anguilla in the 19th century. although there was some mining on the mainland of anguilla, the majority of the phosphates were mined from quarries on sombrero. beginning in 1860, american entrepreneurs invested in several pieces of equipment and construction on the island, including a steam railway, accommodation for workers from anguilla, a rock crusher and several loading points for ships. the operations on sombrero declined drastically in 1880, and the supply had been exhausted by 1890.