These wounds will heal, but they are painful. This chemical defense can ward off predators and give the beetle time to escape. American Oil Beetles have a soft, yet stout abdomen with a shell covering that looks like a series of overlapping plates. The insect can appear as a dull black or, in some cases, a shiny black or dark blue. The first successful oil well in North America was established in Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada in 1858. The field is still in production although quantities are low. The history of the petroleum industry in the United States goes back to the early 19th century, The most commonly listed primary commodities in North America mines are Gold , Silver , and Copper . At the time these mines were surveyed, 36,111 mines in North America were observed to have ore mineralization in an outcrop, shallow pit, or isolated drill hole—known as an occurance mine. 1 North America has 26,087 prospect mines. 2 75,687 mines were in production at the time the data was entered into USGS records.